adj Uncommon

grassroots

GRAHS-roots

Grassroots (adj) means coming from ordinary people at a local level, rather than from leaders or organizations at the top. Example: “The campaign was powered by grassroots volunteers, not big donors.”

adj

Coming from ordinary people at a local level, rather than from leaders or organizations at the top.

"The campaign was powered by grassroots volunteers, not big donors."

"It started as a grassroots movement before spreading nationwide."

How to Use Grassroots

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDescribes something started and driven by everyday people rather than officials or big organizations.

Common pairings

grassroots movement grassroots support grassroots level

Word Forms

more grassroots comparative, most grassroots superlative

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Fill the Gap

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The campaign was powered by _____ volunteers, not big donors.

Etymology

From grass + roots — the image of roots at the base of a plant, i.e. the ordinary base of society.

Rhymes for grassroots

roots boots toots shoots

See all rhymes for grassroots →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “grassroots” mean?

The word “grassroots” means coming from ordinary people at a local level, rather than from leaders or organizations at the top. In plain terms, describes something started and driven by everyday people rather than officials or big organizations.

How do you pronounce “grassroots”?

“Grassroots” is pronounced GRAHS-roots (/ˈɡɹæs.ɹuːts/ in IPA).

How do you use “grassroots” in a sentence?

Here is “grassroots” used in a sentence: “The campaign was powered by grassroots volunteers, not big donors.”

What part of speech is “grassroots”?

“Grassroots” is an adjective.

Is “grassroots” a common word?

“Grassroots” is an uncommon word in modern English.