GROUNDLESS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does groundless mean? 

• GROUNDLESS (adjective)
  The adjective GROUNDLESS has 1 sense:

1. without a basis in reason or fact

  Familiarity information: GROUNDLESS used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GROUNDLESS (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Without a basis in reason or fact

Synonyms:

baseless; groundless; idle; unfounded; unwarranted; wild

Context example:

unwarranted jealousy

Similar:

unsupported (not sustained or maintained by nonmaterial aid)

 Context examples 

My fears, however, were groundless, for he held up his two hands imploringly, and made his petition in a moving manner.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Nothing more alarming occurred than a fear, on Mrs. Allen's side, of having once left her clogs behind her at an inn, and that fortunately proved to be groundless.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

At first I was in daily dread of his taking my education in hand again, or of Miss Murdstone's devoting herself to it; but I soon began to think that such fears were groundless, and that all I had to anticipate was neglect.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

But as I was out of all fear of being ill-treated under the protection of so great and good an empress, the ornament of nature, the darling of the world, the delight of her subjects, the phoenix of the creation, so I hoped my late master’s apprehensions would appear to be groundless; for I already found my spirits revive, by the influence of her most august presence.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

While he spoke, Emma's mind was most busy, and, with all the wonderful velocity of thought, had been able—and yet without losing a word—to catch and comprehend the exact truth of the whole; to see that Harriet's hopes had been entirely groundless, a mistake, a delusion, as complete a delusion as any of her own—that Harriet was nothing; that she was every thing herself; that what she had been saying relative to Harriet had been all taken as the language of her own feelings; and that her agitation, her doubts, her reluctance, her discouragement, had been all received as discouragement from herself.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)