groundless
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- groundlessly adverb
- groundlessness noun
Etymology
Origin of groundless
before 900; Middle English: bottomless, unfathomable; Old English grundlēas. See ground 1, -less
Explanation
Something that's groundless isn't valid or justified, like your groundless fear that you failed your math quiz, even though you studied and knew all the material. Grounds are "factors forming the justification for a belief," and when you don't have any such grounds, your belief is groundless. In other words, anything groundless has no reason or cause to back it up. A groundless claim is one that has no proof, and a groundless suspicion is empty: "We questioned that nice lady next door and made her cry, thanks to your groundless accusation that she stole our cat."
Vocabulary lists containing groundless
"Oedipus the King" by Sophocles
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Awkward
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Because They Marched
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“The impact on the bookings has been quite hard,” said Patel, who called the lawsuit groundless.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025
Beijing at the time called the accusations "groundless".
From Barron's • Oct. 19, 2025
"But all these claims are groundless and without proof."
From BBC • Sep. 24, 2025
Lot of reasons for that, it’s not groundless optimism.
From Salon • Aug. 5, 2025
My fears were groundless, there was nothing to it.
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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.
