as in to pry
to draw out by force or with effort uprooted the old bridge's pilings upon the completion of its replacement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb uproot differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of uproot are eradicate, exterminate, and extirpate. While all these words mean "to effect the destruction or abolition of something," uproot implies a forcible or violent removal and stresses displacement or dislodgment rather than immediate destruction.

the war uprooted thousands

In what contexts can eradicate take the place of uproot?

While in some cases nearly identical to uproot, eradicate implies the driving out or elimination of something that has established itself.

a campaign to eradicate illiteracy

When is it sensible to use exterminate instead of uproot?

The words exterminate and uproot can be used in similar contexts, but exterminate implies complete and immediate extinction by killing off all individuals.

exterminate cockroaches

When would extirpate be a good substitute for uproot?

The synonyms extirpate and uproot are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of uproot Helene blew ashore in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday packing winds of 140 mph and then quickly moved through Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee, uprooting trees, splintering homes and sending creeks and rivers over their banks and churning up tornadoes. Stephen Smith, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2024 In uprooting herself from France to save Biri and Mime, Weil had severed a primal bond that defined her identity. Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024 Of the yellow-colored buildings that stood there one week ago, one was thrown up river, another was uprooted and the remaining two ripped apart. Deon J. Hampton, NBC News, 5 Oct. 2024 Helene blew ashore in Florida's Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday packing winds of 140 mph (225 kph) and then quickly moved through Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee, uprooting trees, splintering homes and sending creeks and rivers over their banks and straining dams. Stephen Smith, TIME, 28 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for uproot 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uproot
Verb
  • Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.
    Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
  • The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.
    Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • If the court doesn’t grant them that injunction, NASCAR is ready to yank those Charters and let the team’s race as open entries.
    Greg Engle, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
  • This noted, what Mother is brilliant at is showing us the rug being yanked from under her feet, again and again, in terse, breathless prose—sometimes girlishly purple, at others brusque with the idioms of the era.
    Will Self, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
Verb
  • Leadville materialized in 1860 with the discovery of placer gold (gold extracted from eroded rock), and the mining boom was on.
    James Dziezynski, Outside Online, 10 Nov. 2024
  • Organizations must ensure that no sensitive or personal data inappropriately feeds AI models or can be extracted from these systems, either maliciously or inadvertently.
    Rehan Jalil, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Rachel, always a champ, manages to pluck it out while everyone in the shelter ignores her.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
  • At first glance, the kitchen might look plucked from the 19th century, but there are marble countertops and stainless steel appliances that bring it up to date.
    Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near uproot

Cite this Entry

“Uproot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uproot. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on uproot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!