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

• pry
• pull
• yank
• extract
• pluck

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

The Power Of Conversation Of the over 100 people employed at the Winston-Salem facility, most had never left North Carolina, let alone considered uprooting their lives. —Marie Quintana, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025

Last December, Deadline reported that Dutton Ranch will likely welcome some familiar faces from the Yellowstone universe, which makes sense since the show isn't uprooting its characters and will directly follow the events of its predecessor. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025

Exhausted and despairing, many Palestinians had their own reasons for refusing to pack up and uproot themselves again. —Wafaa Shurafa, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2025

Marron said the Silverado smashed through the steel fence surrounding the house and uprooted a 30-year-old peach tree in the front yard before breaking through the wall. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for uproot

• acute
• aleut
• astute
• beetroot
• breadfruit
• cheroot
• commute
• compute
• confute
• dilute
• dispute
• elute

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