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n. / Retrieval
Grounding
Definition
Grounding means tying a model's answer to specific source material, such as retrieved documents or tool results, so each claim can be checked against evidence.
In more detail
A grounded answer cites or quotes its source and says so when the source does not contain the answer. It is the main defense against hallucination in retrieval systems. You can score it automatically by checking whether each claim is supported by the retrieved text, then review the failures by hand.
Example
Asked about warranty length, the agent answers "two years" and links the manual section that says so. Without that text, it replies that it could not find the information.
