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Definition of rootbound

rootbound

/ˈruːt.baʊnd/
root · bound
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rootbound Lexical Profile

rootbound Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Having grown to fill a container with a dense, tangled mass of roots, restricting further growth (of a potted plant).

Example

"The fern had become severely rootbound in its small plastic pot and needed to be transplanted into the garden."

2

Firmly entrenched in or unable to move away from a particular place, habit, or way of thinking; inflexible.

Example

"After decades of following the exact same bureaucratic procedures, the agency had grown too rootbound to adapt to modern technology."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

roosterfish
root
rootball
rootbound
rooted
rootedness
rooter

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Rootbound. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/rootbound
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