grounds

The word “grounds” means reasons or justification for something. In plain terms, reasons for something, the land around a building, or leftover solid bits at the bottom of a drink.

“Grounds” is pronounced growndz (/ɡɹaʊndz/ in IPA).

Here is “grounds” used in a sentence: “She had grounds for filing a complaint.”

“Grounds” is a noun.

“Grounds” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

“Grounds” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: reasons or justification for something.

Grounds are the reasons that justify an action or decision. Common examples include grounds for divorce, grounds for dismissal from a job, or grounds for appeal in a court case. In each, the word points to the accepted reasons that make the action valid or defensible.

The two overlap, but 'grounds' suggests reasons solid enough to justify a decision, often formally or legally. Any explanation can be a reason, whereas grounds are the reasons considered strong enough to act on. You might have reasons to complain, but you need grounds to bring a case.

It refers to the accepted reasons a person can give for legally ending a marriage. Depending on the place and its laws, these might include separation, unreasonable behaviour, or simply irreconcilable differences. The grounds are the justification a court recognises for granting the divorce.