Among the currently most popular synonyms for foundation are: foot, initiation, point of departure, bottom, understructure, premise, groundwork, basis, nub, grounds, base, heart, cornerstone, substratum, pretext, motivation, fundamentals, call, flotation, constitution, footing, defense, origination, explanation, launch, grounding, starting, infrastructure, core, substructure, cause, endowment, fundament, institution, mitigation, beginning, mainstay, essence, rudiments, motive, establishing, inauguration, occasion, reason, bedrock, justification, authority, founding, underpinning, establishment, ground, kernel, provocation, thrust, forming, excuse, creation, principles, support.