groundswell: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, journalistic, academic, business
Quick answer
What does “groundswell” mean?
A sudden, strong, and widespread growth of a public opinion, feeling, or movement.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sudden, strong, and widespread growth of a public opinion, feeling, or movement.
1. A broad, deep swell of the sea caused by a distant storm or gale. 2. Any rapidly developing force, trend, or feeling that gains momentum.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The metaphorical sense is dominant in both varieties.
Connotations
Implies organic, bottom-up change rather than top-down direction.
Frequency
Slightly more common in political and business journalism.
Grammar
How to Use “groundswell” in a Sentence
a groundswell of [NOUN (opinion/support/feeling)]there was a groundswell for/against [NOUN PHRASE]a groundswell developed/grewVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “groundswell” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A. 'Groundswell' is not standardly used as a verb.
American English
- N/A. 'Groundswell' is not standardly used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A. 'Groundswell' is not standardly used as an adverb.
American English
- N/A. 'Groundswell' is not standardly used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- N/A. 'Groundswell' is not standardly used as an adjective.
American English
- N/A. 'Groundswell' is not standardly used as an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
A groundswell of consumer demand forced the company to change its policy.
Academic
The study traces the groundswell of public opinion that led to the legislative reform.
Everyday
There's a real groundswell of excitement in the town about the new festival.
Technical
Sailors monitored the long-period groundswell for signs of the distant cyclone.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “groundswell”
- Using it for a small, organised group (e.g., 'a groundswell of the committee members' – incorrect). Confusing it with 'groundwork' (preparatory work).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It can describe a groundswell of support (positive) or a groundswell of opposition/anger (negative). The key is the widespread, powerful nature of the feeling.
It is most at home in formal, journalistic, academic, and business contexts. It would sound overly formal in casual conversation about minor trends.
A 'trend' is a general direction. A 'groundswell' is a specific type of trend that implies powerful, deep-seated, rapidly building momentum from a broad base, often with an emotional or forceful character.
Yes, its original and literal meaning is in oceanography: a broad, deep swell of the ocean caused by a distant storm. However, the metaphorical sense is now far more common.
A sudden, strong, and widespread growth of a public opinion, feeling, or movement.
Groundswell: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡraʊndswel/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡraʊndswel/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A groundswell of feeling”
- “Ride the groundswell”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of public opinion as the OCEAN. A 'groundswell' is a powerful wave of feeling that builds from the deep (the ground/people) before reaching the shore (mainstream attention).
Conceptual Metaphor
PUBLIC OPINION/CHANGE IS A POWERFUL NATURAL FORCE (water/wave).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'groundswell' LEAST appropriate?