grounded
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
having a sensible and realistic view of life; not easily upset or confused.
mentally and emotionally stable; possessing a realistic and balanced perspective on life.
Simple“Despite her sudden fame, she remained grounded and kept her old friends.”
In context“The CEO's grounded approach to the crisis prevented the board from making impulsive decisions based on short-term market fluctuations.”
Antonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
not allowed to go out or do fun things as a punishment.
restricted to one's home or room by a parent or guardian as a disciplinary measure.
Simple“I am grounded for a week because I stayed out too late.”
In context“After failing to meet his curfew for the third time that month, the teenager was grounded and had his phone confiscated for the weekend.”
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
not allowed to fly or move because of bad weather, safety, or hitting the ground.
prohibited from flight or movement due to technical, weather, or legal reasons; in a nautical context, stuck on the seabed.
Simple“All flights were grounded because of the heavy fog at the airport.”
In context“The entire fleet was grounded indefinitely pending a thorough investigation into the structural integrity of the engine mounts.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
connected to the earth so that electricity can flow safely.
connected to the earth or a common return path to complete an electrical circuit safely.
Simple“Make sure the appliance is properly grounded to avoid an electric shock.”
In context“The technician verified that the server rack was grounded to prevent static discharge from damaging the sensitive internal components.”
UsageIn British English, 'earthed' is the standard term for this concept.
Synonymsearthed
Usage grounded in peer-reviewed
“Australian medical experts have warned a shift in child vaccination advice in the US is not grounded in science and could undo decades of public health advances.”
“Winder wanted to take their 10-year-old brother Moissés, but he was grounded.”
From Middle English grounded, i-grounded, equivalent to ground + -ed.
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.