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
Mary K. Miller2
: to become fixed or established
… providing the steadiness and resolve needed to ensure that civilizations can take root and flourish.—Greg Grandin
Greg GrandinA monstrous suspicion had begun to take root in his mind.—P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. WodehouseExamples of take root in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Longstreth regularly performed in Brooklyn, where a passionate, scrappy indie-rock scene had taken root.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
This is the idea that UV radiation could help life arise — one of the theories that has been suggested to explain life taking root on Earth.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 19 Mar. 2025
In other words, when the fear of infidelity takes root, two common coping strategies can emerge.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
The system creates terraced planters that hold soil in place, absorb rainwater, and provide a stable environment for plants to take root: each Dirt Locker unit creates a terraced planting space that stabilizes slopes from 10° to 45°.
—Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take root
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Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
This is the idea that UV radiation could help life arise — one of the theories that has been suggested to explain life taking root on Earth.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 19 Mar. 2025
In other words, when the fear of infidelity takes root, two common coping strategies can emerge.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
The system creates terraced planters that hold soil in place, absorb rainwater, and provide a stable environment for plants to take root: each Dirt Locker unit creates a terraced planting space that stabilizes slopes from 10° to 45°.
—Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take root
Cite this Entry
“Take root.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20root. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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