1
as in source
a point or place at which something is invented or provided
he insists that insecurity is the root of all jealousy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in origin
the source from which something grows or develops
one would need to go back at least several hundred years to find the root of the entrenched hostility between the neighboring nations
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in foundation
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests
an implicit trust in the wisdom of the people is the root of democracy
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in kernel
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
at root, it's a question of the proper limits, if any, of free speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to embed
to set solidly in or as if in surrounding matter
rooted the post securely in the dirt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of root
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025
During active growth, that water is constantly replenished from the roots.
—Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 12 Apr. 2025
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2025
After ordering at the counter, patrons might drop by the newspaper rack for a copy of the Times or Variety, then head to plush chairs so comfy some people root there all day.
—Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for root
Noun
Next To Shrubs Woody shrubs often have shallow roots that compete with roses for moisture and nutrients.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025
During active growth, that water is constantly replenished from the roots.
—Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
The Sundance audiences actively wanting to see what’s next and rooting to see something special (why else make the trip?).
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2025
After ordering at the counter, patrons might drop by the newspaper rack for a copy of the Times or Variety, then head to plush chairs so comfy some people root there all day.
—Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for root
Recent Examples of Synonyms for root
Noun
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Legendary is eyeing a 2026 production start, another source adds.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Constructed from Alexander Graham Bell’s simple tetrahedron cell, the Cygnet model consists of two equilateral paper triangles, connected and illuminated by a hidden light source.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The mystery is three-dimensional: The humongous number of parameters obscuring what the model can do; the open data, internet data, on which the model is based (as opposed to in-house, clean data); and the source, the origin of the model’s development.—
Gil Press,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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These asteroids are a direct window into the building blocks of our solar system and the origins of life.—
Patrick M. Shober,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The new bridge is a 70-foot-long, single-span bridge built on a pile foundation that is anchored into bedrock.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Apr. 2025
-
This set has brushes to apply foundation, contouring and more.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Go whole hog on whole grains Hearty and versatile, whole grains — such as barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rye and whole wheat — contain the entire grain kernel, including the bran, germ and endosperm.—
Andrea Kane,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2025
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As with most of his career as a conspiracist, RFK is tying together little kernels of truth into a false narrative and then framing it as just asking common-sense.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Iranian artists and intellectuals tend to rely on subtlety, embedding meaning within layers of metaphor and covert language: a necessity in a place where direct expression often comes at great risk.—
Rebecca Ruth Gould,
JSTOR Daily,
9 Apr. 2025
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But in recent years, lung disease for miners has become a major concern again, Laney says, because coal increasingly comes from mines embedded in sandstone, and which generates dust that's 20 times more damaging to lungs than coal.—
Yuki Noguchi,
NPR,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Working inside the iconic 52-story-tall Vehicle Assembly Building, ground teams used heavy-duty cranes to first lift the butterscotch orange core stage from its cradle in the VAB's cavernous transfer aisle, the central passageway between the building's four rocket assembly bays.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
24 Mar. 2025
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Side and stomach sleepers will especially appreciate the side channels that cradle arms, as well as divots that minimize pressure on cheeks and ears.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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At the beginning of last year, Del Rey shared a snippet of the ballad without any context.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
11 Apr. 2025
-
And that started our connection even from the beginning.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The potential for building more sophisticated internal AI agents capable of handling multi-step tasks with access to large internal knowledge bases increases.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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Michael Busch slugged a home run for a second straight day as five of the eight hits by the Cubs (11-7) went for extra bases.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Root.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/root. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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