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

These moments remind us that the work of peace must also begin at home, in towns, schools, and neighborhoods, wherever intolerance and resentment take root across the world. —Muhammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Time, 10 Oct. 2025

Residents of Gaza — where a humanitarian disaster has unfolded, with 67,000 killed and famine taking root — and the families of Israeli hostages welcomed the deal. —Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2025

A number of startups have taken root on the very studio backlots where silent films were made more than a century ago. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025

The myth of the modern teenage vampire took root with Joel Schumacher's stylish yet droll teenspolitation flick, without which there would be no Twilight and certainly no Buffy the Vampire Slayer. —Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 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