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Synonyms

root out

British  

verb

  1. (tr, adverb) to remove or eliminate completely

    we must root out inefficiency

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

root out Idioms  
  1. Search for, seek to discover, as in He was trying to root out the reason for her long absence. This idiom alludes to the way hogs dig by using their snouts. [Mid-1800s]


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.

See Examples For:

"But until they root out the officers within the Met who enable this behaviour, nothing is going to change," she says.

From BBC Jul. 2, 2026

He has tried to get the DNI to help him root out who—among U.S. and Russian agents—spread the story.

From Slate Jul. 1, 2026

The agency says that’s to root out fraud, but critics say all it does is unnecessarily slow down a system that already vets applicants vigorously.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 12, 2026

De la Espriella would be an unusual steward to beat back gangs and root out corruption, as he’s promised to do with the help of the Trump administration.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 1, 2026

I needed to root out anything that would have a problem with losing atmospheric pressure.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

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