uproot

verb

up·root (ˌ)əp-ˈrüt

-ˈru̇t

uprooted; uprooting; uproots

transitive verb

: to remove as if by pulling up

: to pull up by the roots

: to displace from a country or traditional habitat

uprootedness noun

uprooter noun

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

Example Sentences

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 But the Turkish government quickly began to cut down and uproot them, salvaging the marketable timber.

Katie Nadworny, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2022 The plan would uproot at least 300 businesses that employ more than 24,000 people and destroy 1,400 homes, according to NBC affiliate KXAS.

Char Adams, NBC News, 15 Oct. 2022 Officials warn that such storms can uproot trees, damage wood-frame houses and cause power outages of days to weeks.

Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2022 His father was a truck driver and would frequently quit his job or get fired and uproot his family.

Ivana Hrynkiw | Ihrynkiw@al.com, al, 22 Sep. 2022 Retraining takes humility, time, and money; and not everyone can uproot themselves for a new career.

E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2022 Ankara has pressed Baghdad to uproot the PKK from Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

Mustafa Salim, Washington Post, 20 July 2022 The authority is being sued over plans to build toll roads between Oklahoma City and Norman that opponents said will uproot more than 600 homes and businesses.

From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 18 July 2022 The upshot is that a court with six appointees made by Republican presidents and only three by Democrats appears ready to uproot a half century of precedent on the personal and visceral issue of a woman’s right to choose.

Byrick Klein, ABC News, 3 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'uproot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.