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

Roughly 1 in 5 of the more than 40,000 children in foster care statewide — who have already experienced tremendous instability in their lives — may be uprooted, according to advocates for the children. —Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2024

When and How to Prune Trees Safely, Including Challenging Branches Straightening and Staking Straighten smaller trees that were uprooted or leaning immediately after the storm. —Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2024

For would-be patients unable to afford to uproot and plant themselves somewhere new, some companies offer services to help Americans become medical tourists. —Kristine Gill, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2024

Firefighting crews had reached just 3% containment as of Thursday evening, as thousands of people have been uprooted from their homes. —Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 26 July 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