Synonyms

foundational

American

[foun-dey-shuh-nl] / faʊnˈdeɪ ʃə nl /

Rarely foundationary

adjective

of or relating to the basis or groundwork on which something rests or is built; needing to be understood or established at the beginning.

We believe that fostering a strong local community is a foundational component of our inner-city scholarship program, guiding everything else we do.

Other Word Forms

foundationally adverb

Etymology

Origin of foundational

foundation ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( 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.

"Advancing secure, trustworthy and robust AI is foundational to building trust and maximising societal and economic benefits," it said.

From Barron's

To recommit to ideals that have made a strong liberal arts education foundational to American democracy: critical thinking, dialogue, pluralism, the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

From The Wall Street Journal

A permanent ceasefire coupled with rapid restoration of healthcare and education systems is foundational to addressing the mental health crisis.

From Los Angeles Times

Though toys are foundational to Mattel, the company said it is trying to broaden its reach by focusing more on content licensing and digital games, which tend to be more profitable.

From Los Angeles Times

Glycine is a small two carbon molecule that plays a foundational role in biology.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023