groundswell
Grassroots movement building
A groundswell is a broad, deep movement of ocean waves, often generated by distant storms and felt as a powerful undulation rather than breaking surf.
The word is now primarily figurative: a groundswell of support, opposition, or enthusiasm describes widespread sentiment rising from ordinary people rather than from leadership or institutions.
There's a groundswell of demand for reform.
Oscillating motion through medium
- tideOcean's cyclical swell
- surgeSudden powerful increase
- undercurrentFlow beneath the surface
- seaSaltwater body, not ocean
ocean · rising · tidal · crest · undertow · current · force · power
Sudden powerful increase
- buildupGradual accumulation over time
- intensificationIncrease in degree
- escalationProgressive increase in intensity
- accelerationRate velocity changes
growth · expansion · proliferation · swelling · rising · gathering · snowballing · crescendo
Organized resistance to power
- protestPublic expression of disapproval
- demonstrationPublic display of opinion
- marchRhythmic group walk
- rallyGathering for a cause
resistance · rebellion · solidarity · civil disobedience · boycott · strike · sit-in · nonviolent resistance
Felt attitude or view
- backlashStrong negative reaction
- consensusGeneral group agreement
- outcryLoud public protest
- discontentUnhappiness with circumstances
indignation · support · disapproval · approval · reaction · mood · shift · tide
Direct effort for reform
- organizingSystematically putting in order
- communityCollective of connected people
- bottom-upStarting from fundamentals
- mobilizationOrganizing for action
empowerment · advocacy · door-to-door · volunteerism · local · neighborhood · coalition · participation
wave
Oscillating motion through medium
- tideOcean's cyclical swell
- surgeSudden powerful increase
- undercurrentFlow beneath the surface
sea · ocean · rising · tidal · crest · undertow · current · force · power · deep
surge
Sudden powerful increase
- buildupGradual accumulation over time
- intensificationIncrease in degree
- escalationProgressive increase in intensity
acceleration · growth · expansion · proliferation · swelling · rising · gathering · snowballing · crescendo · amplification
uprising
Organized resistance to power
- protestPublic expression of disapproval
- demonstrationPublic display of opinion
- marchRhythmic group walk
rally · resistance · rebellion · solidarity · civil disobedience · boycott · strike · sit-in · nonviolent resistance · insurgence
sentiment
Felt attitude or view
discontent · indignation · support · disapproval · approval · reaction · mood · shift · tide · fervor
activism
Direct effort for reform
- organizingSystematically putting in order
- communityCollective of connected people
- bottom-upStarting from fundamentals
mobilization · empowerment · advocacy · door-to-door · volunteerism · local · neighborhood · coalition · participation · initiative
- public opinionpublic opinion, public sentiment, polls, poll, approval
- Surfingsurfboards, surfboard, longboards, shortboards, longboard
- wave termswave height, wavelength, crest, trough, breaker
- undercurrentsundertow, riptide, subtext, hidden motives, tension
- surf conditionswaves, barrels, tubes, offshore, onshore
- swells
groundswelledict
Authoritative public command
decree · dictate · executive order · directive · imposition
groundswellapathy
Absence of feeling
indifference · stagnation · inertia · complacency · disengagement