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
But new evidence suggests this spicy root may also benefit something even more vital: your heart. Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 9 May 2025 His Augustinian roots suggest discipline and seriousness. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
Verb
Like the conflict in the Middle East today, it was rooted less in clashing interests than in vast and irreconcilable mutual fears. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025 Autism is a complex, multifactorial condition, rooted largely in genetics. Alice Kuo and Emily Hotez, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for root
Recent Examples of Synonyms for root
Noun
  • The historical recurrence of resistance against fascist regimes is indeed a source of inspiration for the series.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 3 May 2025
  • According to the Forum, fintech is now the leading source of capital for SME’s worldwide – as measured by the number of SMEs and not by amount of capital.
    Nish Acharya, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • Typically, the first film in a Marvel franchise establishes the protagonist’s origins, and the sequels present that character with challenges from increasingly formidable opponents.
    Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Columbus was a stand-in for the nation’s hagiographic origin story, much like the Mayflower or its Western pioneers.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The foundation claimed Mexico was unlikely to change its stance when Sheinbaum was elected despite the escalating threat from cartels.
    Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 4 May 2025
  • Axios initially reported on Saturday that the US, Israel and representatives of a new international foundation are close to an agreement on how to resume the delivery of aid, citing two anonymous Israeli and US sources The Israeli source who spoke to CNN would not say if a deal was imminent.
    Jennifer Hansler, CNN Money, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • These are all executives marketing their products, obviously, but is there even a kernel of possibility in these predictions?
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Realizing that person flat out fell for all the affection and the little kernels of probably very true and mutual love.
    Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In the scene embedded above, Dory delivers Colter the aforementioned box.
    Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 2 May 2025
  • To address the broader community impact beyond the music industry, MusiCares and the Recording Academy partnered with three organizations already embedded in the neighborhoods hardest hit by the fires.
    Paul Grein, Billboard, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • Yet even in this cradle of endemic life, one region stands apart, both for its diversity and its age.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Scientists additionally found at least three planes aboard the ship, including a Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber with a bomb still secured in the release cradle.
    Erin Clack, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Finding new degrees of colorful suits, flowing capes, and animal print jumpsuits supported the show’s tone from the beginning, but has increasingly become part of the HBO series’s comedy in its own right.
    Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 4 May 2025
  • The latter two retained the absolutist moral vision that had characterized Western stances at the beginning of the war, clashing with the U.S.’s new position.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • But after searching for the better part of five years, Reddy has hired a new doctor on a half-time basis, and another is coming on board this June.
    Bernard J. Wolfson and Vanessa G. Sánchez, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
  • About 90,000 other refugees were processed at three other military bases in the United States.
    Heather McRea, Oc Register, 28 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Root.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/root. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

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