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

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

After the fall of the Soviet Union, the West, for a time, became more capacious, linked to principles of liberal democracy that could take root anywhere. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026

In an industry frequently critiqued for its insular nature and hyper-fixation on dizzying scale, a quiet movement is taking root—one built on the simple, radical premise that real innovation necessitates stepping outside the fashion bubble. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026

As a result, #NiUnaMenos, a feminist group that originated in Argentina and whose aim is to combat complacency in societies that experience femicides, has taken root in Mexico. — Daniel Peña, Literary Hub, 7 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