root out

phrasal verb

rooted out; rooting out; roots out
1
: to find and remove (something or someone)
The mayor was determined to root out corruption in city government.
2
: to find (something or someone) after searching for a long time
He finally rooted out the cause of the problem.

Examples of root out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Citigroup reversed course this summer on lending to gun manufacturers and promised to conduct employee training to root out any political bias. Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2025 Republicans insist the law is adhering to Trump’s vow not to touch Medicaid as the changes root out waste, fraud and abuse. Lisa Mascaro, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2025 When running for the Poway District 2 City Council seat, Blain campaigned on promises of transparency, lower water rates and rooting out imaginary corruption. Anita Edmondson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2025 Both bodies were set up in the aftermath of Ukraine's pro-Western Maidan Revolution in 2014, with the intention of rooting out systemic corruption and helping Kyiv reform its democratic system with an eye on European Union accession. David Brennan, ABC News, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for root out

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Cite this Entry

“Root out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/root%20out. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.

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