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

Direct-to-consumer now represents 73 percent of their business — a dramatic shift from the brand’s wholesale beginnings and one Spinelli says started taking root during the 2020 lockdowns amid COVID-19. —Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 14 Nov. 2025

The collaboration took root after SCIPP’s $48,000 seed grant, the critical early funding that traditional agencies had avoided supplying. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2025

Lately, a set of ideas that pushes Christianity further into public life — based on the belief that church and state shouldn't be separate — has taken root. —Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 12 Nov. 2025

As Deadline reported on Monday, a theory has taken root at the BBC positing that board member Robbie Gibb, a former press secretary to Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May, has been working to undermine the corporation and call into question its impartiality. —Jake Kanter, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025

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