Synonyms of uproot

uproot

verb

(ˌ)əp-ˈrüt 

as in to pry

to draw out by force or with effort

uprooted the old bridge's pilings upon the completion of its replacement

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pry
• pull
• yank
• extract
• pluck
• remove
• tear (out)
• wrest
• prize
• take (out)
• root (out)
• wring
• withdraw
• corkscrew
• mine

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• install
• insert
• instill
• implant
• stuff
• ram
• jam
• cram
• wedge

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb uproot differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of uproot are eradicate, exterminate, and extirpate. While all these words mean "to effect the destruction or abolition of something," uproot implies a forcible or violent removal and stresses displacement or dislodgment rather than immediate destruction.

the war uprooted thousands

In what contexts can eradicate take the place of uproot?

While in some cases nearly identical to uproot, eradicate implies the driving out or elimination of something that has established itself.

a campaign to eradicate illiteracy

When is it sensible to use exterminate instead of uproot?

The words exterminate and uproot can be used in similar contexts, but exterminate implies complete and immediate extinction by killing off all individuals.

exterminate cockroaches

When would extirpate be a good substitute for uproot?

The synonyms extirpate and uproot are sometimes interchangeable, but extirpate implies extinction of a race, family, species, or sometimes an idea or doctrine by destruction or removal of its means of propagation.

many species have been extirpated from the area

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of uproot

On Olive Avenue, residents are asking the same questions as many of their fellow Los Angelenos – and the same questions as a growing number of Americans who have been uprooted by extreme weather events, from tornadoes to hurricanes, floods to wildfires. —Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 20 June 2025

Many old, larger trees in the yard and behind the house were uprooted by the storm. —Gael Langdon, Arkansas Online, 1 June 2025

Photos shared on Facebook by the sheriff’s office showed the devastating aftermath, with cars overturned, homes flattened and trees uprooted. —Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 30 May 2025

During this time, the family uprooted to Florida to be closer to the hospital where Zion was receiving treatment. —Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025