Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

root out

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.40 in modern English

Syllables: root out
IPA

7

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To remove or abolish completely.

Transitive verb

verb

To search for and discover.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"They rooted out all vestiges of corruption."
"They rooted out all the burdock from their paddocks."
"Near-synonym: suss out"
"It took them hours to root out exactly where the water was coming in."

Etymology

From the notion of eradication: ripping something out by the roots.

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

roots out (present, singular) rooting out (participle, present) rooted out (participle, past) rooted out (past)

Phrases

root and branch

Frequently Paired Words

root and branch sort out figure out straighten out

Synonyms

root up uproot eradicate deracinate extirpate suss out exterminate

Questions

What does root out mean?: To remove or abolish completely.
Where does root out come from?: From the notion of eradication: ripping something out by the roots.

How to pronounce root out

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “root out”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “root out” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.