as in to pry
to draw out by force or with effort uprooted the old bridge's pilings upon the completion of its replacement

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb uproot differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of uproot are eradicate, exterminate, and extirpate. While all these words mean "to effect the destruction or abolition of something," uproot implies a forcible or violent removal and stresses displacement or dislodgment rather than immediate destruction.

the war uprooted thousands

In what contexts can eradicate take the place of uproot?

While in some cases nearly identical to uproot, eradicate implies the driving out or elimination of something that has established itself.

a campaign to eradicate illiteracy

When is it sensible to use exterminate instead of uproot?

The words exterminate and uproot can be used in similar contexts, but exterminate implies complete and immediate extinction by killing off all individuals.

exterminate cockroaches

When would extirpate be a good substitute for uproot?

The synonyms extirpate and uproot are sometimes interchangeable, but extirpate implies extinction of a race, family, species, or sometimes an idea or doctrine by destruction or removal of its means of propagation.

many species have been extirpated from the area

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 uproot Over the past month, M23’s lightning advances have expanded its control over North Kivu province’s lucrative coltan, gold and tin ore mines, uprooting thousands in what was already one of the world’s most dire humanitarian crises. Reuters, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025 That outlined Gaza as part of a Palestinian state and stressed that Palestinians would not be uprooted. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 5 Feb. 2025 With gusts reaching up to 90 mph in some areas, the storm led to power outages, uprooted trees and travel disruptions across the country. Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025 And then fifteen years later, divorce uprooted us all; my family-first ethic hadn’t withstood the episodes of depression and hypomania that, eerily for me, took hold of my husband for a handful of years at midlife. Megan Marshall, The New Yorker, 8 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for uproot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uproot
Verb
  • Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.
    Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
  • The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.
    Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • That insurance goal proved to be invaluable two minutes later, when Dougherty’s defenders yanked down a De La Salle player in the box on a set piece and were called for a penalty.
    Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
  • But at the very end, the movie features a giant song-and-dance routine – a shout-out to traditional Bollywood – that a little-too-seamlessly transitions out of the final scene and yanks you out of a satisfying ending.
    Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • However this author has compiled roundups of rules from 2024 which Congress and the administration might also survey to extract those meeting the termination criteria of E.O. 14219.
    Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Curcumin: It's extracted from turmeric and purified to create a product containing only curcumin and very little of the other parts of turmeric.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • They were all plucked from Gerbi’s orbit of creatives.
    Rhonda Richford, WWD, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Leaving the ‘Touch of Gold’ Holly in the planter, pluck out the cool weather annuals to make room for their summer-friendly counterparts.
    Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Uproot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uproot. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on uproot

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