groundwork

[ground-wurk]

noun

1. foundation or basis.

   He laid the groundwork for an international conference.

groundwork

/ ˈɡraʊndˌwɜːk /

noun

1. preliminary work as a foundation or basis

2. the ground or background of a painting, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of groundwork¹

First recorded in 1540–50; ground ¹ + work

Example Sentences

"And I want to do enough groundwork in the next two years that I can take a year off and my career's not gone down the toilet."

From BBC

That independence is now at risk after the president laid the groundwork for a complex deal for the app that gifted his billionaire allies an unprecedented degree of control over U.S. media.

From Salon

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he said he had laid the "groundwork" for a deal and that it was for the UK "to get it over the line".

From BBC

Committed to being an incubator for emerging artists outside of the Hollywood studio system, the Sundance Institute’s labs and mentorship programs laid the ideal groundwork for a pipeline between the non-profit and the festival.

From Salon

The results of this selective sampling, an organiser from the network suggested, could lay the groundwork to question the outcome of the election.

From BBC

Related Words

• preparation 

When To Use

What is groundwork?

Groundwork is a foundation or basis.Groundwork can describe an actual plot of land for a building or construct, but it can also be used figuratively to describe the beginnings of a negotiation or agreement.Example: I’m laying the groundwork for a new partnership right now.