root 1 of 2

1
2
as in origin
the source from which something grows or develops one would need to go back at least several hundred years to find the root of the entrenched hostility between the neighboring nations

Synonyms & Similar Words

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root

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word root distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of root are inception, origin, and source. While all these words mean "the point at which something begins its course or existence," root suggests a first, ultimate, or fundamental source often not easily discerned.

the real root of the violence

When would inception be a good substitute for root?

While the synonyms inception and root are close in meaning, inception stresses the beginning of something without implying causes.

the business has been a success since its inception

When is it sensible to use origin instead of root?

The synonyms origin and root are sometimes interchangeable, but origin applies to the things or persons from which something is ultimately derived and often to the causes operating before the thing itself comes into being.

an investigation into the origin of baseball

Where would source be a reasonable alternative to root?

In some situations, the words source and root are roughly equivalent. However, source applies more often to the point where something springs into being.

the source of the Nile
the source of recurrent trouble

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of root
Noun
Motherland is all about the diaspora returning home and exploring their own roots. Okla Jones, Essence, 28 Aug. 2025 Make sure that any hard areas have been broken up to allow the roots to settle in and spread. Heather Bien, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
Together, these realities point to a future where America’s workforce must be both locally rooted and digitally connected. Chris Kibarian, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025 Cece symbolizes what is possible when leaders root strategies in love rather than fear, abundance rather than scarcity. Dilan Gomih, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for root
Recent Examples of Synonyms for root
Noun
  • Ukrainian and Western governments have accused North Korea of supplying significant amounts of ammunition and troops to support Russia's war, while Kyiv and its NATO backers have identified China as Moscow's prime source of materiel and a vital economic lifeline.
    Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Their goal was to find an IP address — the unique identifier assigned to every cell phone and computer — that could reveal the source.
    Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • And because of its higher-level academic origins, the majority of voters on either side of its function would likely struggle to define it.
    John Scott Lewinski, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The missions will each focus on different effects of the solar wind and space weather, from their origins at the Sun to their farthest reaches billions of miles away at the edge of our Solar System.
    Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Technology is the foundation of the symbolic and spiritual world that makes humans human, but also at the same time destabilizes the very concept of the human and pushes us to realize that there has been only a process of hominization or anthropogenesis.
    Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Anchoring this car’s provenance is not only the fact that it was campaigned prolifically into the 1980s, but that its foundation is the chassis of the seventh-place finisher at the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans.
    Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Get the recipe > Saveur’s editor at large Shane Mitchell shared these Southern-style pancakes, which get their subtle chew from fresh corn kernels.
    SAVEUR Editors, Saveur, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Here, however, the child offers a kernel to his mother.
    Demir Alp, JSTOR Daily, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Amazon is also prototyping AI smart glasses that will guide its delivery drivers on the road, embedding a small screen in their field of vision [Yahoo Finance, 2025].
    Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
  • By embedding solar modules into building facades, cities can unlock vast additional energy potential without requiring new land or altering urban aesthetics.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • However, looking deep into these swirling cradles of planet formation has always been tricky.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2025
  • That success reshaped global conservation practice and earned the park its reputation as the cradle of rhino conservation.
    Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The bill replaces the state’s once-a-year test with three shorter exams, to be given at the beginning, middle and end of the school year.
    Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2025
  • From the very beginning of launching her brand, Mutayo set her sights on the world stage.
    Ugonnaora Owoh, Essence, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In the second inning, Lugo allowed a two-run single to Kerry Carpenter with the bases loaded, which cut into the KC lead.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Those are the stereotypes attached to the people in charge of these franchises with massive, multinational fan bases — until now.
    Michael Silver, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Root.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/root. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.

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