root out

verb

1. tr, adverb to remove or eliminate completely

   we must root out inefficiency

Idioms and Phrases

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

It calls for rooting out “waste, fraud, and abuse,” that all-purpose chimera evoked by budget-cutters as a painless way of reducing costs, but which no one ever seems to accomplish.

From Los Angeles Times

A Republican Target: With Donald Trump’s election victory, Republicans are now poised to escalate their efforts to root out what they see as progressive ideology in higher education.

From New York Times

“Matt will root out the systemic corruption at the DOJ, and return the department to its true mission of fighting crime and upholding our democracy and constitution,” he wrote.

From BBC

In a Thursday episode, Jones called for a series of trials aimed at rooting out Democrats from society, noting the plan was “being prepared right now.”

From Salon

He pledged to root out government corruption, a concern among voters following a series of political scandals in city departments and nonprofits in recent years.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bore
• bulldoze
• burrow
• clean
• discover
• dredge
• drill
• enter
• excavate
• exhume
• go into
• gouge
• harvest
• penetrate
• scoop
• search
• shovel
• sift
• uncover
• unearth