as in foundation
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests
they had collectively laid the groundwork for a new kind of art
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Recent Examples of groundwork
To her, the rhetoric sounded like groundwork for deeper cuts to come.
—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
30 June 2026
Laying the groundwork for a free trade agreement that would remake his nation’s economy, Mexican president Carlos Salinas de Gortari loaned crates of art to the United States in the autumn of 1990.
—
Jonathon Keats,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
Representatives from the United States, Israel, and Lebanon signed a trilateral framework following lengthy negotiations aimed at ending the conflict and laying out the groundwork for a future peace agreement.
—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
26 June 2026
Photograph by Sébastien Leban for TIME France The groundwork is already in place with a structure—Interconnected Ventures—chaired from Paris by his mother, Fayza Lamari, and run day to day by Ziad Hammoud, formerly of beIN Sports, with about 20 employees.
—
Time,
Time,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for groundwork
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
30 June 2026
Laying the groundwork for a free trade agreement that would remake his nation’s economy, Mexican president Carlos Salinas de Gortari loaned crates of art to the United States in the autumn of 1990.
—
Jonathon Keats,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
Representatives from the United States, Israel, and Lebanon signed a trilateral framework following lengthy negotiations aimed at ending the conflict and laying out the groundwork for a future peace agreement.
—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
26 June 2026
Photograph by Sébastien Leban for TIME France The groundwork is already in place with a structure—Interconnected Ventures—chaired from Paris by his mother, Fayza Lamari, and run day to day by Ziad Hammoud, formerly of beIN Sports, with about 20 employees.
—
Time,
Time,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for groundwork
Recent Examples of Synonyms for groundwork
Noun
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Caracas, Venezuela — Venezuela was broken long before two back-to-back earthquakes ripped the country from its foundations last Wednesday.
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The foundation recommended ballot curing programs that speed up the process by utilizing a secure text platform when double checking whether a ballot is legitimate when a voter’s signature doesn’t match state records.
Noun
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Dominic Canzone and Randy Arozarena walked to load the bases with one out before Josh Naylor struck out swinging.
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The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) evaluates transgender student participation on a case-by-case basis, generally supporting inclusion while lacking a statewide legislative ban.
Noun
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After helping Boston win two World Series titles, Lester joined the Cubs and became a cornerstone of Chicago’s historic championship run in 2016.
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Food and drink Seasonality and local sourcing are the cornerstones of Indigo, the main restaurant that sits on a mezzanine floor overlooking the lobby bar.
Noun
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America’s 13 original colonies were teeming with adventurous foreigners who formed the bedrock of our dynamic economy and democracy.
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Goodness knows when younger people will be able to buy a home, once considered the bedrock of achieving the American dream.
Cite this Entry
“Groundwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/groundwork. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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