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Synonyms

put down roots

Idioms  

  1. Settle somewhere, become established, as in We've put down roots here and don't want to move away. This metaphoric expression, first recorded in 1921, likens the rooting of a plant to human settlement.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He added: "This will help people to put down roots and to feel secure in their own home - without the risk of being turfed out against their will."

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Living in New York City, high rent prices make it difficult to find space for a growing family, which is why we’re eager to put down roots.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 31, 2026

Other celebrity couples have put down roots in the area, of course, with less than charmed results over time.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2025

The project pipeline is so long that some newcomers have put down roots.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

Who taught me how to put down roots, and thrive on both sun and rain, and understand what it is to bloom.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.