at the root of

idiom

: the reason for (something)
Simple greed was at the root of the robbery.

Examples of at the root of in a Sentence

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That idea is at the root of Salesforce’s stock struggles this year. Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025 Human rights concerns are again at the root of Norway’s problems with Israel. Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 In this astonishing work, Sacco unearths intimate human stories at the root of sectarian violence. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025 Instead, let your hair air dry for 20 to 30 minutes and then use it starting at the root of your hair, brushing in a downward movement. Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for at the root of

Cite this Entry

“At the root of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20root%20of. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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