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Synonyms

root for

Idioms  

  1. Cheer on, give moral support to, as in The fans were out rooting for their team, or I've been rooting for you to get that promotion. This expression may come from the British verb rout, which is used of cattle and means “bellow.” [Late 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.

Seo’s Janet is as feisty as she is loyal, making it easy to root for her and her quickly budding romance with McKnight’s worthy Alex.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

This is where Derry Girls star Coughlan popped up from the audience, shrewdly observing that British people "tend to root for the failure of others".

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

Given a choice, I always Ringo it and root for peace and love, man.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

Nevertheless, her presence is so compelling that we root for Ruth every time she’s onscreen.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

I spotted some students from my school, walking toward the nearby football stadium, on their way to watch the game and root for our team.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

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.