root 1 of 2

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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
The tour dives into Puerto Rico's Afro-Caribbean and rural roots, using music to highlight the island's racial and cultural diversity. Cat Sposato, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025 All of which is to say that Stengel was such a sensation in New York, so long after growing up here, that his roots seemed to become less and less relevant there and more and more distant here. Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
Steve Spurrier spends his time these days rooting on the Florida Gators from his home in Gainesville. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025 Her pain is rooted less in the burdens of motherhood and more in the void that emerges in her grief. Emma Alpern, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for root
Recent Examples of Synonyms for root
Noun
  • For 39 percent of seniors, benefits are their only source of income.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Alejandro and his band embrace bomba even more here, dedicating the album’s opener to the genre and leaning into its Afro-Puerto Rican origins and ties to African religions.
    Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The festival celebrates the Milwaukee origins of the universal, yet inefficient QWERTY keyboard in worldwide use.
    Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The $470 million figure emerged during city council deliberations and was later confirmed by the foundation in its 2020 annual report.
    Christine Valora, The Washington Examiner, 28 Sep. 2025
  • The result is companies built on sturdier foundations, less vulnerable to the ups and downs of funding markets.
    Aman Ghei, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • To be fair to Kemp, some of his criticisms are not without a kernel of truth.
    Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
  • If the kernel is spoon-shaped, expect plenty of snow.
    Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Anne Morrow Lindbergh embeds wisdom and meditations on age, love, peace, solitude and fulfillment within the relaxing, picturesque setting of the sea.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Leaping boldly is as embedded in Hoda Kotb’s DNA as smiling, loving music and wearing stacks of friendship bracelets.
    Erin Jensen, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Finally, one of the tall cranes lifted the boat out of the water, high into the air, and carefully swung it over and down onto the team’s boat cradle, on shore.
    Jan Wagner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Pueblo September 12, 1923 Flo walked into her mother’s room and saw Blue at the foot of the cradle.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • However, there are no such hints for players in Season 3, who are sorted into teams at the beginning of their time in Borderland and told where to go for the next match.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Indiana can expect dry temperatures around the state at the beginning of October.
    Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The bank expects the PBOC to cut the seven-day reverse repo rate and loan prime rate by 10-basis points in the fourth quarter, along with a a 50-basis-point reduction in the reserve requirement ratio, which sets out how much cash banks must hold in reserve.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2025
  • The resolution, which outlines steps toward a two-state solution and backs a Hamas-free government for Palestine, serves as a basis for a peace plan, the Élysée Palace said in a statement on Friday.
    Tara John, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Root.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/root. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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