framework
Americannoun
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frameworks
plural
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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.
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a skeletal structure designed to support or enclose something.
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a frame or structure composed of parts fitted and joined together.
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the construction of frames.
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work done in, on, or with a frame.
noun
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a structural plan or basis of a project
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a structure or frame supporting or containing something
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frames collectively
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work such as embroidery or weaving done in or on a frame
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of framework
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.
Vocabulary lists containing framework
The Scientific Method
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The ACT Science Test: The Scientific Method
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Scientific Investigation and Reasoning
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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.
See Examples For:
It added: "Approving the proposal without the necessary supporting information would have gone against the planning policy framework and could have set a precedent for similar applications elsewhere on the island."
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
A group of Hollywood and Silicon Valley power players proposed a framework to approach AI by distinguishing between “Human Generative Workflows” and uses that replace human contributions like actors’ performances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
The NBA adopted its first private-equity ownership framework in 2021.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
For the analysis, the researchers used a framework guided by existing scientific knowledge while also drawing on large amounts of observational data.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
The first step was the laborious process of completely surrounding the hull of the Mary Rose with a 117-foot-long and 49-foot-wide steel framework.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
Delangue said he hopes that legal frameworks are maintained to recognise this and to make sure that the companies that make mistakes leading to the hacks are "accountable."
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
“Those concerns should be addressed through targeted legal and commercial frameworks rather than sweeping restrictions on techniques that play an important role in AI innovation.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
"We need more predictive frameworks that link behavioral responses to ecological and evolutionary context. That includes incorporating species traits, past exposure to humans, predator communities, and landscape structure," says D'Souza.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
Among them, the UN refugee agency detailed a new Legal Virtual AI Assistant for lawyers and legal officers representing refugees, enabling them to swiftly determine the rights available within country-specific legal frameworks.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
