take root

idiomatic phrase

1

of a plant : to grow and develop roots : to become rooted

… damage to the ecosystem makes it easier for nonnative plants … to take root and crowd out native vegetation.

—Mary K. Miller

2

: to become fixed or established

… providing the steadiness and resolve needed to ensure that civilizations can take root and flourish.

—Greg Grandin

A monstrous suspicion had begun to take root in his mind.

—P. G. Wodehouse

Examples of take root in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The unwinding of shareholdings by the banks in Toyota, one of Japan’s most prestigious companies, would underscore how corporate governance reforms are increasingly taking root amid pressure from the government and the Tokyo Stock Exchange. —Amber Dasilva / Jalopnik, Quartz, 7 June 2024

As a wave of pernicious anti-LGBTQ+ legislation takes root in more conservative areas, including the Hoosier State, my mind often returns to The Back Door, which is still standing strong as an oasis in the storm. —Samantha Allen, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 May 2024

The malignant what’s-wrong with-Chucky narrative had begun to take root. —Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 23 May 2024

But his ambition to present national touring jazz artists seems to be taking root. —Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 21 May 2024

As Gaza solidarity encampments take root at dozens of campuses across the U.S., many Democratic and Republican lawmakers—in addition to President Joe Biden—have accused protestors and colleges of rampant antisemitism. —Raz Segal, TIME, 14 May 2024

The comments against Cardi B took root in the comments section of Lii’s post, although some spun the debacle into a fruitful PR moment. —Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2024

Those events established Columbia’s reputation as a hotbed of dissent where social and political change takes root before spreading to the rest of the country — often at great cost to the institution. —C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 9 May 2024

This verdant subgenre has taken root in the hearts and playlists enthusiasts, sprouting from the fertile soil of California and Northern Mexico’s cultural landscape. —Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 20 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1