grounding

American  

[groun-ding] / ˈgraʊn dɪŋ /

noun

1. knowledge of or instruction in the basic principles of a subject.

   You'll need a thorough grounding in linguistics to understand the lecture.

2. 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

1. 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.

2. 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.

grounding British  

/ ˈɡraʊndɪŋ /

noun

1. a basic knowledge of or training in a subject

---

Etymology

Origin of grounding

First recorded in 1640–50; ground ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

I can’t imagine being more of a loose cannon, or how you would navigate it without that grounding.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Are they not joyful or grounding enough to be worthy of enjoyment?

From Salon • May 17, 2026

Slaughter says growing up in apartheid South Africa gave him "a real grounding in what politics is and what power is about".

From BBC • May 10, 2026

I couldn’t say—I’ve never been to Davos—but I can say this bread is a much-welcomed taste of grounding wholesomeness.

From Slate • May 8, 2026

“When I’m finished grounding these ridiculous contraptions, I’ll be heading upstairs with my wire cutters. Mummy wants me to snip the power cables to all those senseless video games.”

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

• coaching
• discipline
• drill
• education
• exercise
• guidance
• instruction
• practice
• schooling
• teaching
• workout