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
striving to uproot poverty
2
: to pull up by the roots
Many trees were uprooted by the storm.
3
: to displace from a country or traditional habitat
Taking the job would mean uprooting my family.
uprootedness noun
uprooter noun

Synonyms of uproot

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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.
Investigators found damaged trees along Rock Branch Road, before the tornado crossed Highway 212 and snapped or uprooted numerous trees along the southward slope of Shelton Laurel Creek and toward Cutshall Town Road. — Joe Marusak july 31, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026 In Mendocino County, around 400 acres of vines have been uprooted. — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026 Once the new borders were announced, roughly 15 million people were uprooted from their homes, as Hindus and Sikhs fled toward India and Muslims toward Pakistan in search of safety. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 With so many in the world being uprooted and seeking security, the scriptural account of Ruth affords an example of how a more universal Love meets human needs. — Margaret Rogers, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026 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

Rhymes for uproot

See All Rhymes for uproot

Browse Nearby Words

uproll
uproot
uprootedness
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Cite this Entry

“Uproot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uproot. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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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

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