uproot

verb

up·​root (ˌ)əp-ˈrüt  -ˈru̇t 

uprooted; uprooting; uproots

transitive verb

1

: to remove as if by pulling up

2

: to pull up by the roots

3

: to displace from a country or traditional habitat

uprootedness noun

uprooter noun

Synonyms

• corkscrew
• extract
• prize
• pry
• pull
• root (out)
• tear (out)
• wrest
• wring
• yank

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

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

La Mediterranee, which has been at its Pacific Heights location for nearly 50 years, will be extending its lease through 2028 after negotiating a deal with the new landlord who had previously been accused of uprooting legacy businesses. —Axios San Francisco, Axios, 10 Dec. 2024

Alex came two years later, only months before the family was uprooted by a midseason trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning, which was followed by a move to the Chicago Blackhawks shortly thereafter. —James Mirtle, The Athletic, 23 Nov. 2024

In 1943, his father uprooted the family to move to Bremerton, Wash., and then to Seattle, where Quincy Jr. attended Garfield High School and ignited his passion for music by studying composition and learning to play the trumpet. —Jennifer Frederick, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024

In many cases, these new approaches are uprooting decades-long healthcare oligopolies, payment structures and disparities in care. —Seth Joseph, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

uproot

verb

up·​root (ˌ)ə-ˈprüt  -ˈpru̇t 

: to remove by or as if by pulling up by the roots

uproot a vine

families uprooted by war