groundlessly
groundlessly — adverb
1. when you do or say something without any real reason, evidence, or cause to supp
when you do or say something without any real reason, evidence, or cause to support it — for example, accusing someone of a crime even though no proof exists, or worrying about something that has no basis in reality.
Kofi was groundlessly accused of stealing supplies; the security footage proved he was innocent.
passive: be groundlessly accused of [something]
The newspaper claimed groundlessly that the mayor had accepted bribes from property developers.
adverb before or after verb: claimed groundlessly
Saira worried groundlessly about her visa application; it was approved within two weeks.
A neighbour groundlessly reported the family to the authorities, causing a lengthy investigation.
The rumours started groundlessly, yet everyone in the village believed them for months.
- baselessly
nearly identical meaning; interchangeable in most contexts
- unjustifiably
stronger moral connotation — suggests the action was wrong, not just unsupported
- without cause
more formal, often used in legal writing
- justifiably
with good reason or evidence
- reasonably
based on valid reasoning
用法筆記
Commonly pairs with verbs of accusation, suspicion, or fear: accuse, claim, fear, worry, suspect, report. Can appear before the verb ('groundlessly accused') or after it ('accused groundlessly'), though post-verb placement often sounds more natural in formal writing.
常見錯誤
groundlessly — adjective
- groundlesslypositive
- more groundlesslycomparative
- most groundlesslysuperlative
1. describing a belief, fear, accusation, or claim that is not based on real facts,
describing a belief, fear, accusation, or claim that is not based on real facts, evidence, or a valid reason — for example, a rumour that turns out to be false, or a suspicion that has no supporting proof.
Bao's groundless accusation damaged the trust that the team had built over several years.
attributive: groundless accusation
The court dismissed the lawsuit as groundless and ordered the plaintiff to pay legal costs.
predicative: dismissed [something] as groundless
Luisa's fear of flying turned out to be completely groundless once she tried it.
A groundless rumour spread through the school that the principal was resigning next month.
The manager's groundless optimism about sales figures misled the entire department.
- baseless
the closest synonym; interchangeable in nearly all contexts
- unfounded
slightly more formal, common in legal and journalistic writing
- unwarranted
emphasises that the thing was unnecessary or excessive, not just unsupported
- justified
backed by good reason or evidence
- well-founded
based on solid facts or reasoning
用法筆記
Most frequent with nouns that describe negative judgments or emotions: accusation, fear, rumour, suspicion, complaint, optimism, concern. Can be used both before the noun ('a groundless rumour') or after linking verbs ('the rumour was groundless').