Meaning & use
the root cause
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
the main and basic reason why a problem or bad situation happens
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a root cause' or 'the root cause'. Often used with 'of': the root cause of the problem.
Patterns
- the root cause of something
- find the root cause
- address the root cause
The root cause of the delay was a broken machine, not lazy workers.
Doctors tried to find the root cause of her headaches.
To fix the issue, we must deal with the root cause, not just the symptoms.
Word forms
| plural | root causes |
|---|
Common combinations
- the root cause of
- Poverty is often the root cause of crime.
- identify the root cause
- The team identified the root cause of the error.
- address the root cause
- The new policy aims to address the root cause of the problem.
- get to the root cause
- It took hours to get to the root cause of the failure.
Synonyms and how they differ
- underlying cause
- This is very close, but 'underlying cause' may suggest a hidden cause, while 'root cause' stresses the deepest, most basic one.
- source
- Source is more general and can be neutral; 'root cause' is usually negative and about problems.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: the root cause or root course?
the root cause vs root course
'Root course' is a misspelling. The correct phrase is 'root cause'.
Practice
What is the root cause of the company's money problems?
Choose one answer.
Hiring more staff than needed is a basic reason for money problems. Office snacks are too small to be a root cause, and a new logo or building color does not cause money problems.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “the root cause”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.