ROOTS Synonyms: 155 Similar and Opposite Words

roots 1 of 2

noun

plural of root

as in sources

a point or place at which something is invented or provided he insists that insecurity is the root of all jealousy

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Relevance

as in origins

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

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as in foundations

an immaterial thing upon which something else rests an implicit trust in the wisdom of the people is the root of democracy

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as in essences

the central part or aspect of something under consideration at root, it's a question of the proper limits, if any, of free speech

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roots

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of root

as in embeds

to set solidly in or as if in surrounding matter rooted the post securely in the dirt

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 roots

Noun

Matt Wood is 5’7, five inches shorter than Jackman, but that would be good enough to satisfy most fans hoping Logan goes back to his comic roots. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 However, a large number of larvae can significantly damage plants’ roots, particularly if the plant is young or already not at its healthiest. — Leah Chester-Davis, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026 Unlike many spices that come from the roots or leaves of plants, saffron comes from the flower’s stigma on the Crocus sativus plant. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 Others at the meeting, however, believed the farm should return to its original agricultural roots — hay production. — Tran Chau, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026 His family’s Tijuana roots reach back to his grandparents, who used to cross the border northbound to work in a La Jolla hotel. — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2026 An album steeped so deeply in her roots was the perfect introduction for her new audience. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026 In keeping with its sister business, Trophy Club will dig deep into its golf roots. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026 Pulling the hair back at the roots creates a tightening effect, smoothing out facial features, revealing the face, and giving a fresher appearance. — Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 31 July 2026

Verb

Instead, Nowell roots the band’s sound in the mid-’90s and keeps his vocal mannerisms as close to Bradley’s as possible. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 15 June 2026 Cousteau roots his pitch in economics. — Justin Worland, Time, 28 May 2026 This is a high-spirited opening for curious neighbors and travelers alike, with a mischievous sense of fun that firmly roots guests in their destination. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 Louisiana dirty rice is a tasty meat-and-rice dish that roots its flavor in aromatic Cajun seasoning and the holy trinity vegetables. — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 12 Jan. 2026 For Pritchard, whose Stanford roots date back to 2005, the chance to return as head coach was both emotional and deeply personal. — Harold Gutmann, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025 Natural rock formations rise through the living room floor, a detail that roots the design in the hillside itself, and a full renovation of an existing home brought it in line with the style of the main house while still maintaining its own identity. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2025 In a strong culture, everyone roots their daily decisions in a desire to be in it to win it; there's a sense of ownership, pride and belonging. — Alex Brueckmann, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025 As well, his longstanding appreciation of country music roots his art in respect and reverence of the genre's history. — Marcus K. Dowling, Nashville Tennessean, 7 Mar. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for roots

Noun

El Niño and La Niña are the biggest sources of seasonal climate predictability.

— Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
The current outbreak has previously been linked to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, but officials haven’t ruled out additional sources of the infection.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of sources

Noun

The church’s origins date to the arrival of Christian missionaries in Mombasa in 1844, and its membership has long represented a diverse cross section of Kenyan society, with members of various ethnicities and social strata.

— Stephanie TriplettAll, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
Like Amazon, Airbnb, and many other startup breakthrough stories, Whatnot traces its origins back to a small rental home.

— Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of origins

Noun

As extreme weather becomes more common and disruptive, the effects can impair relationships, interrupt routines and communication, and damage gathering places and the foundations of community traditions.

— Fiona Doherty, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2026
Those engineering foundations ultimately determine whether more ambitious fusion experiments can be conducted reliably and safely.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of foundations

Noun

And now, the best toner pads have joined the other post-cleanse staples, including face essences and milky toners, to amplify the effects of your skin-care routine and deliver additional layers of hydration to skin.

— Deanna Pai, Vogue, 27 July 2026
In general, Daosist alchemy is understood as distilling elements of the world into potent spiritual essences.

— Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 6 July 2026

Definition of essences

Verb

Game shows Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit have each been renewed for a third season, while Police 24/7, a Cops-like series that embeds camera crews with police officers, will run through a fourth season.

— Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026
Before eventually removing the Google Earth feature, Google initially responded to Ess by highlighting its SynthID system that automatically embeds digital watermarks in images generated by Google’s AI tools.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026

Definition of embeds

Noun

Athletics The Athletics are led by DH Brent Rooker, who hit 39 homers and stole 11 bases last year, and right fielder Lawrence Butler, an emerging star who added 22 homers and 18 steals.

— Jim Bowden, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
Washington Nationals The Nationals should take the next step forward as their young nucleus, led by shortstop CJ Abrams, who hit 20 homers and stole 31 bases last year, continues to develop and improve.

— Jim Bowden, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025