Word
uproot
Phoneticsup·root, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈpɹut/
UK/ʌpɹˈuːt/
Definition
v. to pull a plant or tree out of the ground with its roots. You also use it when someone has to leave home and start life somewhere new.
v. to pull up by the roots; to displace forcibly from a home or settled life.
Examples
“Strong winds uproot trees across the park.”
“The storm was so strong that it uprooted several old trees along our street.”
“War can uproot entire communities, forcing families who lived in one village for generations to rebuild their lives far from home.”
Examples
simple
“Strong winds uproot trees across the park.”
contextual
“The storm was so strong that it uprooted several old trees along our street.”
complex
“War can uproot entire communities, forcing families who lived in one village for generations to rebuild their lives far from home.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “uproot” in context.
Verb
01. help uproot
“Volunteers helped uproot weeds from the school garden.”
verb + verb
02. storm uproot
“The overnight storm uprooted several trees in the park.”
noun + verb
03. try to uproot
“They tried to uproot the old stump without machinery.”
verb + particle + verb
Adjective
04. completely uproot
“The flood completely uprooted old trees along the riverbank.”
adv + verb
05. forcibly uproot
“The regime forcibly uprooted villagers from their ancestral land.”
adv + verb
Noun
06. uproot community
“The dam project uprooted entire communities along the river.”
verb + noun
07. uproot family
“His new job uprooted the whole family to another city.”
verb + noun
08. be uprooted by war
“Thousands of civilians were uprooted by war last year.”
09. be uprooted from home
“The family was uprooted from home and moved to a camp.”
10. forcibly uproot from land
“Farmers were forcibly uprooted from their land for mining.”
11. uproot a tree by hand
“We managed to uproot a small tree by hand after the rain.”
12. uproot and resettle families
“The project will uproot and resettle families near the dam.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.
Real-World Examples
“Palestinian villagers wailed over the mangled remains of their olive trees on Wednesday after Israel's military uprooted them with bulldozers, days ahead of the annual olive harvest, normally a source of joy for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.” “Mr. Mariani’s 7,000 trees will be uprooted and replaced with hundreds of homes, two parks, a playground and pickleball courts.” “A year of war between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has driven more than 8.5 million people from their homes, creating the world's largest displacement crisis and uprooting families multiple times as people struggle to escape to neighbouring countries with economic and security problems of their own.” Etymology
PIE word *wréh₂ds From up- (prefix indicating a higher direction or position) + root (“to tear up by the roots; (figuratively) to remove forcibly from a place; to eradicate, exterminate”, verb). Root is derived from root (“underground part of a plant”, noun), from Middle English rote, from Old English rōt, rōte, from Old Norse rót, from Proto-Germanic wrōts, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wréh₂ds (“root”).
From up- (prefix indicating a higher direction or position) + root (“of a pig or other animal: to dig or turn up with the snout; to search as if by digging in soil, rummage”, verb). Root is derived from Middle English wroten (“to dig or turn up with the snout; to remove soil, dig up”), from Old English wrōtan (“to dig or turn up with the snout”), from Proto-Germanic *wrōtaną (“to dig or turn up with the snout”); further etymology uncertain.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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