ROOT OUT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does root out mean? 

• ROOT OUT (verb)
  The verb ROOT OUT has 2 senses:

1. pull up by or as if by the roots

2. destroy completely, as if down to the roots

  Familiarity information: ROOT OUT used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ROOT OUT (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Pull up by or as if by the roots

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

deracinate; extirpate; root out; uproot

Context example:

uproot the vine that has spread all over the garden

Hypernyms (to "root out" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "root out"):

stub (pull up (weeds) by their roots)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Destroy completely, as if down to the roots

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

eradicate; exterminate; extirpate; root out; uproot

Context example:

root out corruption

Hypernyms (to "root out" is one way to...):

destroy; destruct (do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody