grounding
Americannoun
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knowledge of or instruction in the basic principles of a subject.
You'll need a thorough grounding in linguistics to understand the lecture.
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Aeronautics. the act of restricting an aircraft to the ground because of bad weather, the unsatisfactory condition of the aircraft, etc..
The grounding of the aircraft due to fog meant the passengers were stranded.
adjective
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giving or relating to a feeling of being mentally or emotionally balanced due to a peaceful, practical, or realistic outlook.
Her down-to-earth point of view made her a grounding presence in their lives.
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Electricity. being or relating to a conducting connection between an electric circuit or equipment and the earth or some other conducting body.
Check that all grounding wires are intact before beginning further repairs.
noun
Etymology
Origin of grounding
First recorded in 1640–50; ground 1 ( def. ) + -ing 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.
However, because they are disconnected from any external reality, such structures have no grounding and are inherently dangerous.
From Slate • May 5, 2026
“Few of them, meanwhile, had the sort of experience and grounding in international affairs that he had enjoyed from childhood right through until the point he accepted Eisenhower’s offer to serve as secretary of state.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
Alloway praises the Philadelphia-born Pedretti for nailing Cherry’s comedic moments yet also grounding the character in a traumatic backstory — a balancing act the director knew she was capable of after watching “Hill House.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026
It rolled across Gwanghwamun Square, lingering - heavy and deliberate - grounding the spectacle in something that felt far older.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
I needed some grounding of my own, such as Woody had found when he went to commune with her and with our ancestors in Ka-ke.
From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston
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.
