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Synonyms

grounded

American  
[groun-did] / ˈgraʊn dɪd /

adjective

  1. mentally or emotionally balanced; having a peaceful, practical, or realistic outlook.

    His more grounded, common-sense view of the situation was a helpful counter to my flights of fancy.

    I love being around them, because they're really grounded.

  2. Aeronautics. (of an aircraft) being brought or restricted to the ground because of bad weather, the unsatisfactory condition of the aircraft, etc.

    Grounded flights have cost airlines in excess of $2 billion this year alone.

  3. Electricity. having a conducting connection between an electric circuit or equipment and the earth or some other conducting body.

    This equipment must be plugged into a grounded outlet.


grounded British  
/ ˈɡraʊndɪd /

adjective

  1. sensible and down-to-earth; having one's feet on the ground

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of grounded

First recorded in 1955–60; ground 1 ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Grounded people are the source of American strength, what stabilizes the family, decent neighborhoods and civic pride.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

Grounded from politics, he learned to fly, collecting a small fleet of private planes he used to deliver donated organs to hospitals for transplants.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

Grounded by Harden’s natural and loosely charming performance, Khalid treats his nightmare scenario with an alternating sense of anxiety and buoyant, joshing can-do attitude.

From New York Times • Nov. 21, 2024

Grounded in his ancestral cultivation, he utilizes film, photography and poetry to amplify decolonial narratives and reclaim Indigenous pedagogies.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 15, 2024

Grounded or not, they’ve all become voracious readers.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers