root out

verb

rooted out; rooting out; roots out
Synonyms of root outnext
1
: to find and remove (something or someone)
The mayor was determined to root out corruption in city government.
2
: to find (something or someone) after searching for a long time
He finally rooted out the cause of the problem.

Examples of root out in a Sentence

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.
Peters said everyone supports rooting out waste and fraud, but DOGE was a slapdash and deceptive effort that did real damage to the government’s ability to serve Americans. — Kevin Freking, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026 Almost a century after the overthrow of the goddess Akaso and her kinfolk of local deities by the arrival of white missionaries, their disciples were stepping up to root out what was left. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026 The editorial process is, of course, set up to root out any misdeeds. — Sabrina Jaszi, The Dial, 4 Aug. 2026 In 2018, Trump started a trade war, and his Department of Justice created the China Initiative, to root out espionage and trade theft, which targeted more than a hundred scientists and others of Chinese descent. — Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for root out

Rhymes for root out

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Browse Nearby Words

root of unity
root out
root position
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Cite this Entry

“Root out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/root%20out. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on root out

Nglish: Translation of root out for Spanish Speakers

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