as in rules
a statement spelling out the proper procedure or conduct for an activity
before the debate begins, let's lay out some ground rules
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Recent Examples of ground rules
Are Hal and Kate planning to assess and adjust their expectations and ground rules at the six-month or one-year mark?
—
Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
There are a few ground rules to follow when assembling your bulb lasagna in order to get good results.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
Factionalism, doctrine, ground rules, justifications are, in Anderson’s film, irrelevant, meaning that French 75’s actions take place in an intellectual void.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025
No ground rules needed to be set before cameras began to roll.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
Publishing income sharing agreements exist among major acts in the music business, and platinum-level acts such as U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers built their careers by establishing royalty-sharing ground rules at an early stage, thereby avoiding costly litigation and personal conflict later on.
—Mike Alleyne, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
After reports that Prince Harry had his own list of requests to go on with the reconciliation, there are now rumors that King Charles has his own ground rules, too, for the upcoming meeting.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 Sep. 2025
Despite going no-contact, the woman finally approached her mother-in-law about establishing some ground rules in order to move forward.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
That’s why new parents should set some grandparenting ground rules as soon as possible to avoid nasty arguments and frayed relationships down the road, according to bestselling author and parenting expert Esther Wojcicki.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 27 Aug. 2025
Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
There are a few ground rules to follow when assembling your bulb lasagna in order to get good results.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
Factionalism, doctrine, ground rules, justifications are, in Anderson’s film, irrelevant, meaning that French 75’s actions take place in an intellectual void.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025
No ground rules needed to be set before cameras began to roll.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
Publishing income sharing agreements exist among major acts in the music business, and platinum-level acts such as U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers built their careers by establishing royalty-sharing ground rules at an early stage, thereby avoiding costly litigation and personal conflict later on.
—Mike Alleyne, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
After reports that Prince Harry had his own list of requests to go on with the reconciliation, there are now rumors that King Charles has his own ground rules, too, for the upcoming meeting.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 Sep. 2025
Despite going no-contact, the woman finally approached her mother-in-law about establishing some ground rules in order to move forward.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
That’s why new parents should set some grandparenting ground rules as soon as possible to avoid nasty arguments and frayed relationships down the road, according to bestselling author and parenting expert Esther Wojcicki.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ground rules
Noun
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So there's really no choice but for the four major conference commissioners to compile a set of rules and guidelines that make at least a marginal bit of sense.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
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Georgetown law professor Steve Vladeck, a witness called by Democrats, said the nondisclosure process followed then-existing DOJ guidelines and that Congress only revised notification rules after a 2024 inspector general report.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Department of Justice is empowered under the federal securities laws to protect the integrity of the American capital markets by enforcing the securities laws and regulations.—
Samidh Guha,
ABC News,
9 Nov. 2025
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In September, Nevada’s Bureau of Water Pollution Control fined the company nearly $250,000 for violating environmental regulations nearly 800 times in the last two years, including for spilling untreated groundwater onto public roads and not reporting it to authorities, ProPublica first reported.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The cemetery of good but dead laws is infinite; the main thing is that social forces exist.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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On the one hand, consumer protection laws are a hallmark of the region.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Reza Pahlavi himself has distributed messages calling for defections among the armed forces, and coordinated protests through QR codes.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
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Consumers, meanwhile, are being asked to absorb the costs of aggressive climate mandates, including electric vehicle requirements and restrictive building codes, while state agencies have failed to comply with their own mandates.—
Tom J. Pyle,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ground rules.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ground%20rules. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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