at the root of

idiom

: the reason for (something)
Simple greed was at the root of the robbery.

Examples of at the root of in a Sentence

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His ability to knife his way into the paint was at the root of his creating quality opportunities for his teammates and finishing with four assists. Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025 In April, a federal judge in Texas blocked a Biden administration rule to increase staffing at nursing homes, even though research has found low staffing to be at the root of many of the quality issues across such facilities. Kff Health News, Mercury News, 10 June 2025 Segall said the state also should support companies that have already been buying zero-emission trucks with financing programs and get at the root of the transportation problem by expanding mass transit. Calmatters, Mercury News, 8 July 2025 Money and respect were at the root of Butler’s pettiness, Pat Riley’s stubbornness, and the suspensions that capped the end of a five-year partnership. Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for at the root of

Cite this Entry

“At the root of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20root%20of. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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