uproot

verb

up·​root (ˌ)əp-ˈrüt How to pronounce uproot (audio) -ˈru̇t How to pronounce uproot (audio)
uprooted; uprooting; uproots
Synonyms of uprootnext

transitive verb

1
: to remove as if by pulling up
2
: to pull up by the roots
3
: to displace from a country or traditional habitat
uprootedness noun
uprooter noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for uproot

exterminate, extirpate, eradicate, uproot mean to effect the destruction or abolition of something.

exterminate implies complete and immediate extinction by killing off all individuals.

exterminate cockroaches

extirpate implies extinction of a race, family, species, or sometimes an idea or doctrine by destruction or removal of its means of propagation.

many species have been extirpated from the area

eradicate implies the driving out or elimination of something that has established itself.

a campaign to eradicate illiteracy

uproot implies a forcible or violent removal and stresses displacement or dislodgment rather than immediate destruction.

the war uprooted thousands

Examples of uproot in a Sentence

Many trees were uprooted by the storm. Will we ever be able to uproot racial prejudice? Taking the job would mean uprooting my family.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Along with possible twisters, the storms are forecast to produce large hail, flooding rain and wind gusts strong enough to uproot trees and snap power lines. —Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024 Was Garrett able to uproot his life and adjust to being in San Diego? —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2024 The United Nations predicts that in 30 years more than 140 million would be uprooted because of rising sea levels, droughts and other extreme weather conditions. —Lz Granderson, The Mercury News, 2 Oct. 2024 Plus most people aren’t willing to uproot their lives and start brand new. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for uproot 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of uproot was circa 1620

Dictionary Entries Near uproot

uproll

uproot

uprouse

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Uproot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uproot. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

uproot

verb
up·​root (ˌ)ə-ˈprüt How to pronounce uproot (audio) -ˈpru̇t How to pronounce uproot (audio)
: to remove by or as if by pulling up by the roots
uproot a vine
families uprooted by war

More from Merriam-Webster on uproot

Nglish: Translation of uproot for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of uproot for Arabic Speakers

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