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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 uproot As with the new Syrian government, Afghanistan's Taliban administration has pledged to uproot ISIS presence in the country. Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025 My advice for anyone thinking of uprooting your life’s work: Keep putting yourself in environments full of ideal clients. Michelle Johnson, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025 At one point, Jack suggests Ennis uproot his life and move close to him in Texas. Rich Juzwiak, Time, 24 June 2025 The tornado uprooted a giant maple tree, about 3 feet in diameter, which crushed the Bisson family home on Hoyland Ave., Syracuse.com reported. Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for uproot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uproot
Verb
  • Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.
    Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
  • The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.
    Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • The injunction holds that the administration is blocked from yanking Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which was based on a May 22 revocation notice the Department of Homeland Security sent to Harvard administrators.
    Emily Berk, NBC news, 20 June 2025
  • There was a collective gasp when Ohtani yanked a pitch that sailed to the backstop, allowing Tatis to get to second base.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • Also featured are Alta Resource Technologies, using computational biochemistry to extract critical minerals like neodymium and gallium from e-waste, and Tidal Metals, which is pioneering magnesium extraction from seawater through a novel vapor adsorption system.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • That's been his dream since 2001, when Barron's then-tennis partner asked him to invest in a first-of-its-kind project to extract gold and other metals from a hydrothermal vent off the coast of Papua New Guinea.
    Daniel Ackerman, NPR, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Not long after that, Van was booked to face Kevin Borjas on a Dana White’s Contender Series Card, but the UFC plucked him from that event to face Zhalgas Zhumagulov in June 2024.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
  • Today, Horowitz’s startup, AMP, based in Louisville, Colo., has developed a technology that could move the needle—by using AI to pluck recyclables out of society’s vast tide of garbage far more quickly and efficiently.
    Chris Stokel-Walker, Fortune, 26 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Uproot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uproot. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

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