# Grounding

> Tying a model's output to verifiable external sources rather than its parametric memory.

_The Agentic Web Lexicon · /glossary/grounding · [JSON](/api/glossary/grounding) · [all The Agentic Web Lexicon](/glossary)_

- **term:** Grounding
- **category:** knowledge-memory
- **short_def:** Tying a model's output to verifiable external sources rather than its parametric memory.
- **long_def:** A grounded answer can cite where each claim came from. Structured data and retrievable content make grounding easier; AI answer engines increasingly cross-check claims against the live page.
- **see_also:** rag, json-ld, geo
- **etymology_origin:** — (verify-against-primary-at-build)
- **related_to:** rag, json-ld, geo
- **contrast_with:** Unlike RAG, which is the retrieval mechanism, grounding is the property of the output — an answer is grounded when each claim is tied to a verifiable source, however it was retrieved.
- **example:** AI answer engines such as Perplexity ground responses by citing the live pages they pulled from, letting a reader trace each claim to its source.
- **source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbol_grounding_problem
- **status:** active
- **why_it_matters:** Grounding is why source-rich, structured, accurate content gets cited; a site that is easy to ground is a site that AI engines quote.
- **sameAs:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbol_grounding_problem
- **bridge_entity:** geo
- **last_verified:** 2026-06-15
- **md_twin:** /glossary/grounding.md