take root

idiomatic phrase

1
of a plant : to grow and develop roots : to become rooted
… damage to the ecosystem makes it easier for nonnative plants … to take root and crowd out native vegetation.Mary K. Miller
2
: to become fixed or established
… providing the steadiness and resolve needed to ensure that civilizations can take root and flourish.Greg Grandin
A monstrous suspicion had begun to take root in his mind.P. G. Wodehouse

Examples of take root in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As a global trade war takes root, one company is confident its technology can take on the challenge of import documentation. Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 6 Mar. 2025 This is not a perfect solution, but a pragmatic one — a temporary measure until more fundamental change can take root. Bethany Thompson, Sun Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2025 Evil takes root: Darkness rises in The Rings of Power season 2 Bower is no stranger to the world of fantasy, having played the nefarious Vecna/001 on Stranger Things, Gellert Grindelwald in the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises, and a member of the Volturi in the Twilight saga. EW.com, 27 Feb. 2025 But that vision did not take root in northern cities. Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for take root

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of take root was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Take root.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20root. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

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