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Meaning & use

root for

verb·Everydayinformal

Last updated

UK/ˈruːt fɔː/
US/ˈrut fɔr/

Meanings

  1. verbphrasal verbinformal

    To cheer on and hope for the success of a team, a person or a cause.

    Grammar: Takes an object after for: root for the home team.

    Patterns

    • root for someone
    • root for a team

    We all root for the local team every weekend.

    I'm rooting for you in tomorrow's interview.

    Who are you rooting for in the final?

  2. verbphrasal verbinformal

    To feel sympathy for a character or person in a hard situation and want them to win.

    Grammar: Often used with underdogs and characters in stories.

    Patterns

    • root for the underdog

    You can't help rooting for the underdog in the movie.

    The whole town rooted for the young chef.

    I was rooting for the hero from the first scene.

Word forms

third person singularroots for
past tenserooted for
past participlerooted for
-ing formrooting for

Common combinations

root for the underdog
Everyone roots for the underdog.
root for the home team
We root for the home team no matter what.
rooting for you
I'm rooting for you.
secretly root for
She secretly rooted for her rival.
root for each other
The friends rooted for each other during the race.

Synonyms and how they differ

cheer on
Cheer on stresses shouting or showing support in person, while root for can be just a hope.
support
Support is neutral and can include practical help, whereas root for is emotional and informal.
back
Back suggests giving real help or money, and is stronger than just rooting.
champion
Champion means to defend or promote publicly, and is more serious than root for.

Opposites

boooppose

Word family

root verb
to cheer or support
rooter noun
a supporter, mostly American
rooting noun
the act of cheering or supporting

Commonly confused: root for or route? root for or root against?

root for vs route

Route is a path, and in some accents sounds like root, but root for is about support.

root for vs root against

Root against means hoping that someone loses, the opposite of root for.

Practice

Which preposition completes the phrase: I'm really rooting ____ the new coach to succeed.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “root for”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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