take root

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

Still, the report paints a picture of transformative change that could reflect how companies and corporate roles change as AI adoption takes root. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026

The personal project took root in 2018, sparked by her grandmother's hospitalization. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026

Similar 20-week bans had taken root across the country as decades of court rulings chipped away at Roe, but no state had managed to enforce a ban as early as six weeks. — Cassandra Jaramillo, ProPublica, 19 Oct. 2026

Without trust, even the most brilliant solutions struggle to take root. — Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for take root

• absolute
• arrowroot
• attribute
• bitterroot
• constitute
• convolute
• destitute
• disrepute
• dissolute
• execute
• institute
• involute