ground 1 of 3

noun

ˈgrau̇nd How to pronounce ground (audio)
Definition of groundnext
1
as in yard
grounds plural the area around and belonging to a building an escorted tour of the White House and its surrounding grounds

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in sediment
grounds plural matter that settles to the bottom of a body of liquid strain the coffee to remove the grounds

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in reason
grounds plural something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing evicted the tenants on the grounds that they violated the lease

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in field
a small area of usually open land I'll meet you at the parade ground in two hours

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in basis
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests opposed to the notion that religious law should be used as a ground for civil law

Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in soil
the loose surface material in which plants naturally grow stuck the shovel in the ground and went inside for a glass of water

Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in backdrop
the physical conditions or features that form the setting against which something is viewed take her picture against a blue ground in order to bring out her blue eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in land
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air was glad to be back on the ground after a turbulent flight

Synonyms & Similar Words

ground

2 of 3

adjective

as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something chopping wood with a finely ground axe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ground

3 of 3

verb

as in to base
to find a basis you're grounding your entire case on circumstantial evidence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ground
Noun
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the administration moved to deport him under a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that gives the secretary of state the power to deport a noncitizen on foreign policy grounds. — arkansasonline.com, 13 Mar. 2025 If the Trump administration tries to short-circuit these processes, its critics will likely sue and the courts could rule against EPA on process grounds. — Neela Banerjee, NPR, 13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides. — Cathy Thomas, Orange County Register, 17 Feb. 2025 But ground flaxseed has been broken down, making the omega-3s and other nutrients more available for absorption. — Lina Begdache, The Conversation, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
Russia's federal air agency said flights were suspended at all four of Moscow's airports, with flights at airports in the Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod regions to the east of Moscow also grounded. — David Brennan, ABC News, 11 Mar. 2025 As the months and years ground on, a war of movement turned into a war of position and attrition, with Russia continuing to hold Crimea and most of the Donbas while Ukraine clung to a patch of Russian territory near Kursk. — Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 8 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ground
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ground
  1. yard
  2. sediment
  3. reason
  4. field
  5. basis
  6. soil
  7. backdrop
  8. land
Noun
  • Under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, the Jets were 28th in points (26.6) and 18th in yards allowed per game (337.9).
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Having bird feeders in your yard can give you a firsthand look at the amazing creatures that make our ecosystems function with ease.
    — Abby Fribush, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of yard
Noun
  • In calmer areas areas, particularly where there is lots of sediment suspended in the water (such as within the Humber estuary and parts of the Wash), there may be potential for contaminants to adhere to fine particles in suspension and subsequently sink to the seabed.
    — Lauren Lowman, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2025
  • This sediment is why most large rivers look brown most of the time (see photo below).
    — Jeff Opperman, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Definition of sediment
Noun
  • Those types of metrics are part of the reason Knoblauch is advocating for Draisaitl to win the Selke Trophy to go along with a strong Hart case.
    — Daniel Nugent-Bowman, The Athletic, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The Fire were without standout striker Mallory Swanson, out for personal reasons.
    — Theo Lloyd-Hughes, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of reason
Noun
  • As open fields and forests are being paved over, the natural life cycle of fireflies is disrupted as these luminescent beetles are displaced.
    — Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Now teams that miss out on the NCAA tournament on selection Sunday are added to the 32-team NIT field, which uses home court sites until the semifinal and final rounds.
    — Jack Magruder, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of field
Noun
  • In contrast, the energy transition has a long-term basis, with 2050 as the magic date of the Paris agreement to keep global temperature rise below 2 C degrees above pre-industrial times.
    — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Delta forecast revenue in the current quarter growing no more than 5% on a yearly basis, down from a January estimate calling for a 6% to 8% rise.
    — Hakyung Kim, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of basis
Noun
  • Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a key Kremlin ally who allowed Russia to launch its invasion of Ukraine partially from Belarusian soil, is also in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
  • That would be decided later based on studies of possible locations, soil conditions, traffic, environmental constraints and other issues.
    — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of soil
Noun
  • Against the backdrop of this (meta)physical landscape of collective disaster, a new generation of Ukrainians aspires to imagine the future.
    — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Spilt Milk, set against the backdrop of 1980s working class Dublin, follows 11-year-old Bobby (Cillian Sullivan), who dreams of being a detective just like his TV idol Kojak.
    — Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of backdrop
Noun
  • Each land will feature unique rides, attractions, dining, and shopping experiences based on popular franchises.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
  • At this scenic patch of riverside land in a remote corner of Owyhee County, one of Idaho’s most influential families is preparing to move into a new business venture: luxury real estate.
    — Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of land

Phrases Containing ground

Browse Nearby Words

ground
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ground.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ground. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on ground

Nglish: Translation of ground for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ground

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All