foundational
adjective
foun·da·tion·al
fau̇n-ˈdā-sh(ə-)nəl 
: of, relating to, or forming or serving as a base or foundation : fundamental
foundational principles/doctrines
These foundational volumes proved to be, each in its own way, enabling gestures for the growth of sophisticated theories and critical practices in African, Caribbean, and African American literatures.—
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.Property was, in a sense, foundational to culture, since English political economy rested on the private ownership of land, and the political economy, in turn, largely structured social relations.—Jill Lepore
Jill LeporePhilosophy is a foundational discipline. Not only does it do the spadework that makes the construction of other disciplines possible; it also pays constant attention to the foundations of those disciplines as they are practiced.—Cognitive Science
Cognitive Science
foundationally
adverb
Examples of foundational in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Brown has surged from a situational bench player last season to a foundational piece this winter.
—Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Voting is foundational to our republic; there is no good reason for 14 states not to require an ID to vote.
—Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
By reapproaching the foundational technology of zero-knowledge proofs at first principles, Pellegrino says that his company’s new blockchain can manage 2 million transactions per second at a fraction of a cent per transaction, whereas Solana’s previous max is 100,000.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, the hard lessons Washington learned at the threshold of Fort Duquesne in 1754 provided the foundational experience for his later role as commander in chief of the Continental Army.
—Christopher Magra, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foundational
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Voting is foundational to our republic; there is no good reason for 14 states not to require an ID to vote.
—Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
By reapproaching the foundational technology of zero-knowledge proofs at first principles, Pellegrino says that his company’s new blockchain can manage 2 million transactions per second at a fraction of a cent per transaction, whereas Solana’s previous max is 100,000.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, the hard lessons Washington learned at the threshold of Fort Duquesne in 1754 provided the foundational experience for his later role as commander in chief of the Continental Army.
—Christopher Magra, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foundational
Cite this Entry
“Foundational.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foundational. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
