at the root of

idiom

: the reason for (something)
Simple greed was at the root of the robbery.

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But Barber feels certain the medication is at the root of her problems. Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024 But at the root of all the officialese is an organization’s hypothesis of commonality—its emotional quotient. Deepa Nagraj, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024 In January 2023, SpaceX reached an agreement with the National Science Foundation to mitigate the effects of the second-generation Starlink satellites, which are at the root of ASTRON’s problems. William Gavin, Quartz, 19 Sep. 2024 Miguel Cardona explained how the Department of Education is working to make college more affordable for people who pursue careers in teaching and public service, address issues at the root of student debt problems and expand access to alternative forms of higher education. Axios Events, Axios, 23 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for at the root of 

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Cite this Entry

“At the root of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20root%20of. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

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