1
as in source
a point or place at which something is invented or provided
he insists that insecurity is the root of all jealousy
2
as in origin
the source from which something grows or develops
one would need to go back at least several hundred years to find the root of the entrenched hostility between the neighboring nations
3
as in foundation
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests
an implicit trust in the wisdom of the people is the root of democracy
4
as in core
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
at root, it’s a question of the proper limits, if any, of free speech
as in to lodge
to set solidly in or as if in surrounding matter
rooted the post securely in the dirt
Synonym Chooser
How is the word root distinct from other similar nouns?
Some common synonyms of root are inception, origin, and source. While all these words mean «the point at which something begins its course or existence,» root suggests a first, ultimate, or fundamental source often not easily discerned.
the real root of the violence
When would inception be a good substitute for root?
While the synonyms inception and root are close in meaning, inception stresses the beginning of something without implying causes.
the business has been a success since its inception
When is it sensible to use origin instead of root?
The synonyms origin and root are sometimes interchangeable, but origin applies to the things or persons from which something is ultimately derived and often to the causes operating before the thing itself comes into being.
an investigation into the origin of baseball
Where would source be a reasonable alternative to root?
In some situations, the words source and root are roughly equivalent. However, source applies more often to the point where something springs into being.
the source of recurrent trouble
Thesaurus Entries Near root
Cite this Entry
“Root.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/root. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
- essence
- foundation
- heart
- origin
- seed
- soul
- source
- stem
- stuff
- basis
- bedrock
- beginnings
- bottom
- cause
- center
- crux
- derivation
- essentiality
- footing
- fountain
- fountainhead
- fundamental
- germ
- ground
- groundwork
- inception
- infrastructure
- mainspring
- marrow
- motive
- nub
- nucleus
- occasion
- pith
- provenance
- provenience
- quick
- quintessence
- radicle
- radix
- reason
- rhizome
- seat
- substance
- substratum
- tuber
- underpinning
- well
- rock bottom
- starting point
- embed
- ingrain
- burrow
- delve
- ferret
- forage
- grub
- hunt
- lodge
- nose
- place
- poke
- pry
- rummage
- grub up
On this page you’ll find 178 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to root, such as: essence, foundation, heart, origin, seed, and soul.
- cover
- dislodge
- leave alone
Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
TRY USING root
See how your sentence looks with different synonyms.
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How to use root in a sentence
Like TikTok, Triller’s experience is rooted in music, particularly Hip-Hop.
WTF IS TRILLER?SEB JOSEPHAUGUST 14, 2020DIGIDAY
SYNONYM OF THE DAY
OCTOBER 26, 1985
WORDS RELATED TO ROOT
- applaud
- approve
- blow horn
- boost
- celebrate
- cheer
- clap
- commend
- compliment
- eulogize
- exalt
- extol
- give a bouquet
- give a posy
- give kudos
- hail
- hand it to
- hear it for
- honor
- laud
- praise
- puff up
- push
- rave
- recommend
- root
- salute
- stroke
- acclaim
- approve
- boost
- cheer
- commend
- compliment
- encourage
- eulogize
- extol
- give a hand
- give ovation
- glorify
- hail
- hear it for
- kudize
- laud
- magnify
- plug
- praise
- rave
- recommend
- root
- acclaims
- approves
- boosts
- cheers
- commends
- compliments
- encourages
- eulogizes
- extols
- gives a hand
- gives ovation
- glorifies
- hails
- hears it for
- kudizes
- lauds
- magnifies
- plugs
- praises
- raves
- recommends
- roots
- authority
- backbone
- basis
- chief constituent
- core
- essence
- essential
- evidence
- foundation
- fundamental
- groundwork
- heart
- important part
- infrastructure
- key
- origin
- primary element
- principal
- principle
- root
- source
- underpinning
- antecedent
- assumption
- authority
- axiom
- backbone
- background
- backing
- base
- bedrock
- cause
- center
- chief ingredient
- core
- crux
- data
- dictum
- essence
- essential
- evidence
- explanation
- footing
- fundamental
- hard fact
- heart
- infrastructure
- justification
- keynote
- keystone
- law
- nexus
- nucleus
- postulate
- premise
- presumption
- presupposition
- principal element
- principle
- proof
- reason
- root
- rudiment
- sanction
- security
- source
- substratum
- support
- theorem
- theory
- underpinning
- warrant
- antecedent
- birth
- conception
- egg
- embryo
- font
- fount
- fountain
- fountainhead
- generation
- genesis
- germ
- heart
- principle
- resource
- root
- seed
- stem
- well
Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
The part of a plant which attaches it to the ground or to a support
“If the primary root remains the largest root of the plant and continues its growth to become the main root, it is known as a tap root.”
The basic cause, source, or origin of something
“To Kaitlin, he looked like the root of all her nightmares.”
The principal aspect or dimension of something
“That old adage is actually the root of our discussion and begs another question.”
(roots) One’s family, ethnic, or cultural origins
“I know for a fact that my family once had its roots in the moors of England.”
An answer to a problem or puzzle
A beginning, or first stage
A fleshy, thickened underground stem of a plant, usually containing stored starch
Edible part of plant
A user with complete access to the operating system and its configuration
The end of a long object, such as a pencil, cigarette, or similar object
Something that is part of a whole
Something that provides a means of understanding or achieving something
A projecting part on a tool or instrument, especially one of a series
The point at which numbering or measurement originates, such as on a scale
To place, lay or set firmly in surrounding matter
“The resulting soil is loose and fast-draining, which encourages plants to root deeply, well away from the desiccating heat at the surface.”
(root for) To declare enthusiastic approval or support of
“Our active protagonist needs to be relatable, or if the show is about an ensemble, there needs to be somebody we’re going to root for.”
To rummage or search through
“He fell silent and simply watched her root through the closet.”
To plant or sow something
“The best way to propagate your favorites is to root stem cuttings taken from your own plants in spring.”
(root out) To remove, especially by digging out
“When the servants want to root out the weeds, the farmer forbids this, explaining that at the harvest he will separate the good plants from the weeds.”
To engage in carnal activity
To grope around with one’s fingers to find, collect, or hold on to something
To enthusiastically applaud or approve of
To cause to fail, or to make great attempts to
To place or put between or among others
To encourage or motivate someone or a group, typically with one’s voice
To dig or poke about, especially in soil, in search of something
To cause to become tired, weary or fatigued
To hold one’s attention (with something fascinating)
To encourage someone to continue or succeed
Essential, as an element, principle, or law
Related Words and Phrases
See Also
Nearby Words
4-letter Words Starting With
Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes
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root
Synonyms:
radix, radicle, stem, origin, source, spring, rise, commencement, parentAntonyms:
branch, ramification, outcome, product, issue, progeny
Princeton’s WordNetRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote
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rootnoun
(botany) the usually underground organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes; absorbs water and mineral salts; usually it anchors the plant to the ground
Synonyms:
etymon, origin, theme, beginning, root word, radical, rootage, solution, ascendent, base, tooth root, source, ascendant, antecedent, stem, ancestor -
beginning, origin, root, rootage, sourcenoun
the place where something begins, where it springs into being
«the Italian beginning of the Renaissance»; «Jupiter was the origin of the radiation»; «Pittsburgh is the source of the Ohio River»; «communism’s Russian root»
Synonyms:
extraction, start, get-go, showtime, seed, parentage, ascendent, base, pedigree, offset, tooth root, reference, theme, ascendant, informant, root system, rootage, first, etymon, germ, radical, kickoff, descent, stemma, source, ancestor, inception, antecedent, stock, origination, author, lineage, reservoir, origin, line, outset, line of descent, stem, root word, starting time, bloodline, generator, solution, ancestry, beginning, commencement, blood, blood line -
root, root word, base, stem, theme, radicalnoun
(linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed
«thematic vowels are part of the stem»
Synonyms:
al-Qaeda, idea, groundwork, al-Qaida, ascendent, base, substructure, composition, paper, fundament, motif, prow, theme, ascendant, basis, group, understructure, shank, stalk, nucleotide, report, foundation, etymon, radical, subject, floor, bow, fore, topic, free radical, melodic theme, source, ancestor, foot, antecedent, musical theme, infrastructure, alkali, cornerstone, origin, pedestal, home, rootage, tooth root, stem, base of operations, radix, root word, stand, stem turn, solution, beginning, chemical group, al-Qa’ida, bag -
rootnoun
a number that, when multiplied by itself some number of times, equals a given number
Synonyms:
etymon, origin, theme, beginning, root word, radical, rootage, solution, ascendent, base, tooth root, source, ascendant, antecedent, stem, ancestor -
solution, rootnoun
the set of values that give a true statement when substituted into an equation
Synonyms:
rootage, radical, ancestor, solvent, theme, answer, etymon, base, beginning, result, root word, stem, source, ascendant, origin, tooth root, ascendent, resolution, solution, antecedent -
ancestor, ascendant, ascendent, antecedent, rootnoun
someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
Synonyms:
theme, rootage, ancestor, radical, ascendant, antecedent, etymon, base, beginning, solution, origin, stem, source, tooth root, ascendent, forerunner, root word -
etymon, rootnoun
a simple form inferred as the common basis from which related words in several languages can be derived by linguistic processes
Synonyms:
theme, rootage, radical, ancestor, antecedent, etymon, base, beginning, solution, origin, stem, source, ascendant, tooth root, ascendent, root word -
root, tooth rootverb
the part of a tooth that is embedded in the jaw and serves as support
Synonyms:
theme, rootage, radical, ancestor, antecedent, etymon, base, beginning, solution, origin, stem, source, ascendant, tooth root, ascendent, root word -
rootverb
take root and begin to grow
«this plant roots quickly»
Synonyms:
steady down, rootle, take root, settle, settle down, rout -
rootverb
come into existence, originate
«The problem roots in her depression»
Synonyms:
steady down, rootle, take root, settle, settle down, rout -
rootverb
plant by the roots
Synonyms:
steady down, rootle, take root, settle, settle down, rout -
rout, root, rootleverb
dig with the snout
«the pig was rooting for truffles»
Synonyms:
spread-eagle, spreadeagle, gouge, settle down, rootle, expel, steady down, rout out, take root, rout, settle -
settle, root, take root, steady down, settle downverb
become settled or established and stable in one’s residence or life style
«He finally settled down»
Synonyms:
settle, descend, calm, make up, cool it, patch up, cool off, calm down, nail down, sink, settle down, go down, square off, subside, determine, steady down, go under, reconcile, fall, finalise, ensconce, get back, adjudicate, conciliate, rout, decide, simmer down, square up, chill out, resolve, locate, finalize, rootle, take root -
rootverb
cause to take roots
Synonyms:
steady down, rootle, take root, settle, settle down, rout
Matched Categories
-
- Become
- Botany
- Dig
- Form
- Grow
- Linguistics
- Number
- Plant
- Plant Organ
- Relative
- Set
- Stabilize
Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes
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rootnoun
Synonyms:
bottom, base, foundation, lower part -
rootnoun
Synonyms:
cause, origin, source, occasion -
rootnoun
Synonyms:
radical, radix, etymon, primitive word -
rootverb
Synonyms:
take root -
rootverb
Synonyms:
implant, set, fix, establish
Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes
-
rootnoun
Synonyms:
rootstock, radix, taproot, spur, rootlet, radicel, tuber, bulb -
rootnoun
Synonyms:
etymon, stem, radix, radical
PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes
-
List of paraphrases for «root»:
racine, roots, deep, underlying, profound, origin, fundamental, wake, result, aftermath, source, basic, deep-rooted, radical, rooted, core
Suggested Resources
-
root
The root symbol — In this Symbols.com article you will learn about the meaning of the root symbol and its characteristic.
-
root
Song lyrics by root — Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by root on the Lyrics.com website.
-
ROOT
What does ROOT stand for? — Explore the various meanings for the ROOT acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.
How to pronounce root?
How to say root in sign language?
How to use root in a sentence?
-
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe:
All truly wise thoughts have been thoughts already thousands of times; but to make them truly ours, we must think them over again honestly, till they take root in our personal experience.
-
Jennifer Trosper:
The initial thinking is that the empty tube is more likely a result of the rock target not reacting the way we expected during coring, and less likely a hardware issue with the Sampling and Caching System, over the next few days, the team will be spending more time analyzing the data we have, and also acquiring some additional diagnostic data to support understanding the root cause for the empty tube.
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Terrisa Bukovinac:
Big Abortion has ensured that abortion remains unregulated, making in-clinic abortions indistinguishable from so-called ‘back alley’ abortions, abortion-vulnerable communities need economic and racial justice to address the root cause of abortion and the abysmal maternal mortality rate, especially for Black women, not the option to terminate the lives of our offspring!
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Kate Saunders:
They want to detect and root out any sentiment that runs counter to the party state.
-
Carolyn Robbins Manley:
It’s not really selection, it’s de-selection, so the goal is for each side to root out biases.
Translations for root
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- wortelAfrikaans
- أصل, جذر, جذور, أصولArabic
- kökAzerbaijani
- тамырBashkir
- кораньBelarusian
- коренBulgarian
- মূলBengali
- རྩ་བTibetan Standard
- arrelCatalan, Valencian
- kořen, odmocnina, kořínekCzech
- корєньOld Church Slavonic, Church Slavonic, Old Bulgarian
- gwraiddWelsh
- rodDanish
- Quelle, Stamm, Wurzel, Haarwurzel, Wurzeln, Wurzelknoten, Zahnwurzel, QuellenGerman
- ρίζαGreek
- radikoEsperanto
- raíz, raíces, hurgar, rebuscarSpanish
- juurEstonian
- ریشه, سرچشمه, پیازPersian
- juurruttaa, kannustaa, nollakohta, juuri, päävalikko, pääkäyttäjä, kantasana, köyriä, kanta, lähde, möyriäFinnish
- racine, emmancher, origine, radical, root, mot souche, fourrerFrench
- woartelWestern Frisian
- fréamh, stocIrish
- freumhScottish Gaelic
- raízGalician
- מקור, שורשHebrew
- जड़Hindi
- rasinHaitian Creole
- szurkol, gyökér, szótő, gyök, ok, drukkol, hajgyökérHungarian
- արմատArmenian
- akarIndonesian
- rætur, rótIcelandic
- radice, trombare, fottere, scopare, trombataItalian
- שורשHebrew
- 元, 歯根, 根, 根源, 起源Japanese
- ფესვიGeorgian
- түбір, тамырKazakh
- ಬೇರುKannada
- 뿌리, 근원Korean
- qurm, rîş, kok, reh, ڕهگKurdish
- тамырKyrgyz
- radix, radicisLatin
- ຮາກLao
- šaknisLithuanian
- sakne, saknesLatvian
- aka, kūtoro, akaakaMāori
- коренMacedonian
- akar, اکرMalay
- အမြစ်Burmese
- rotNorwegian
- rommelen, aanvuren, stam, wortel, machtswortel, poepen, administrator, neuken, wippen, wroeten, supporteren, beheerder, graven, juichen, nulpunt, neukpartijDutch
- rotNorwegian Nynorsk
- rotNorwegian
- akétłʼóólNavajo, Navaho
- raiç, rasicOccitan
- pierwiastek, cebulka, rdzeń, korzeń, miejsce zerowe, źródłoPolish
- radical, raiz, rootPortuguese
- machuQuechua
- ragisch, risch, rieischRomansh
- rădăcină dentară (dentală), rădăcină, rădăcină de păr, rădăcină de dinteRomanian
- корень, корни, рут, кореньяRussian
- raichina, radichina, arraighinaSardinian
- korijen, корен, коријен, korenSerbo-Croatian
- koreň, korienokSlovak
- koren, koreninaSlovene
- rrënjëAlbanian
- ordrot, tandrot, rötter, böka, nollställe, källa, rota, heja, rot, hårrotSwedish
- mziziSwahili
- ரூட்Tamil
- మూలము, వేరుTelugu
- решаTajik
- รากThai
- kökTurkmen
- uratTagalog
- akaTonga (Tonga Islands)
- köken, kaynak, kökTurkish
- тамырTatar
- aʻaTahitian
- коріння, коріньUkrainian
- جڑUrdu
- ildizUzbek
- chân tóc, rễ, chân răngVietnamese
- vulVolapük
- raeceneWalloon
- װאָרצלYiddish
- 根Chinese
- umsuka, impandeZulu
Get even more translations for root »
Translation
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- मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
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- Latinum (Latin)
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- Dansk (Danish)
- Suomi (Finnish)
- فارسی (Persian)
- ייִדיש (Yiddish)
- հայերեն (Armenian)
- Norsk (Norwegian)
- English (English)
Citation
Use the citation below to add these synonyms to your bibliography:
Are we missing a good synonym for root?
All synonyms in one line
beginning, cause, derivation, inception, root-stock, en.synonym.one, source, whence, ancestor, antecedent, ascendant, ascendent, ass, en.synonym.one, assumption, base, basis, beginning, birthplace, boff, branch, bulb, cause, centre, core, cradle, cutting, derivation, element, essence, etymon, evidence, footing, forerunner, en.synonym.one, foundation, fountainhead, fuck, fucking, gist, grounds, heart, inception, justification, kernel, lay, leaf, make whoopee, model, motive, nookie, nooky, nucleus, occasion, origin, parent, piece of ass, piece of tail, pith, poontang, en.synonym.one, pork, premise, prototype, radical, rationale, reason, roll in the hay, root word, root-stock, rootage, rootlet, screw, screwing, shag, shoot, shtup, slip, solution, source, stem, support, the horse’s mouth, theme, tooth root, trim, tuber, whence, acclaim, applaud, bang, be intimate, bed, en.synonym.one, bonk, catechize, cheer, chin, diddle, dig in, do it, eff, embed, entrench, fix, frig, get it on, get laid, have a go at it, have intercourse, have it away, have it off, have sex, hump, en.synonym.one, implant with, inculcate, indoctrinate, infix, infuse, ingrain, instill, jazz, jump, kiss, knob, know, lick, lie with, lodge, love, make love, make out, nail, nose, nuzzle, roger, rootle, rout, salute, en.synonym.one, settle, settle down, shaft, shout, sleep together, sleep with, steady down, steep, support, swive, take root, teach, yell.
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