framework

American  

[fraym-wurk] / ˈfreɪmˌwɜrk /

noun

• frameworks
  plural

1. a basic structure, plan, or system, as of concepts, values, customs, or rules: The empire foundered, leaving its people in anarchy and lawlessness, as the framework of their society and culture collapsed around them.

   The bill, if passed, will provide a legal framework for privacy and data protection.

   The empire foundered, leaving its people in anarchy and lawlessness, as the framework of their society and culture collapsed around them.

2. a skeletal structure designed to support or enclose something.

3. a frame or structure composed of parts fitted and joined together.

4. the construction of frames.

5. work done in, on, or with a frame.

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framework British  

/ ˈfreɪmˌwɜːk /

noun

1. a structural plan or basis of a project

2. a structure or frame supporting or containing something

3. frames collectively

4. work such as embroidery or weaving done in or on a frame

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underframework
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• frameworks
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of framework

First recorded in 1635–45; frame + work

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Explanation

Framework refers to the initial structure of a building. If you ever wanted to walk through walls, you can get your chance when a new house has just the framework done, because the house will have walls with openings for windows and doors but no plaster or siding. From the literal meaning of framework — the initial structure of a building — English added figurative meanings. The noun framework, for example, can be any underlying structure something is built on, so you will see examples like: a framework for solving the problem, a framework for the computer program, and a framework for a new relationship.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

framework frameworks

She outlined Santa Monica’s proposed cultural framework, “Land and Water Here and Now,” encompassing performances, exhibitions, public art and international cultural exchanges.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

The company said it expects to provide a refreshed financial framework, both short and long term, alongside a comprehensive turnaround plan by its fourth-quarter earnings call.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The bill was first introduced to Parliament last year following agreement on a joint framework with the Irish government.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Prime Minister Debeibah said his government had been co-operating with an "international judicial framework to extradite accused citizens."

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

An older school of historians and philosophers took this framework for granted, while a newer school has wanted to debunk or deconstruct the concepts rather than explain their significance and trace their origin.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

“Over 90% of the company’s investments in the coming years will be in regulated businesses, underpinned by robust frameworks that offer a high degree of earnings and cash-flow visibility,” the analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

Yet, the technology underpinning autonomous warfare risks outpacing the Russian and Ukrainian frameworks for maintaining some degree of human control over weapons.

From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2026

Physicists have spent decades trying to combine these frameworks into a single description of nature.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026

The department said it was also reviewing policies and frameworks covering staff conduct, acceptable use and its fraud response plan.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

The profusion of metaconcepts in professional writing—all those levels, issues, contexts, frameworks, and perspectives—also makes sense when you consider the personal history of chunking and functional fixity in the writers.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

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Related Words

• groundwork
• plan
• scheme
• structure

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