cultivate
verb
cul·ti·vate
ˈkəl-tə-ˌvāt 
cultivated; cultivating
1
: to prepare or prepare and use for the raising of crops
Some fields are cultivated while others lie fallow.
also
: to loosen or break up the soil about (growing plants)
2
a
: to foster the growth of
cultivate vegetables
cultivate coffee
b
: culture sense 2a
cultivate oysters for pearls
c
: to improve by labor, care, or study : refine
cultivate the mind
… cultivated a reputation as a hard-core wheeler-dealer …—
Kit Boss
Kit Boss4
: to seek the society of : make friends with
looking for influential people to cultivate as friends
Examples of cultivate in a Sentence
Prehistoric peoples settled the area and began to cultivate the land.
Some of the fields are cultivated while others lie fallow.
a plant that is cultivated for its fruit
They survived by cultivating vegetables and grain.
He has carefully cultivated his image.
She cultivated a taste for fine wines.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
The urgency Garcin and Mumford cultivated in their customer base to keep the joke running is what garnered $2.5 million in revenue in a single day after a post-holiday restock in February 2021.
—Nicole Gull McElroy, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2023
Brussels sprouts were cultivated in Belgium in the 16th century—Brussels coming from the name of the capital of Belgium.
—Anna Theoktisto, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2023
One is a depiction of Diana attempting to cultivate a life of freedom while being entirely fishbowled and relentlessly hounded by the press.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
But it's cultivated a loyal following, thanks to its no-high-rises shoreline, incredible sunsets, and small-town feel.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023
New Africa/Shutterstock) Potatoes were originally from South America and likely first cultivated in Peru about 8,000 years ago.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 15 Nov. 2023
The document, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and hasn’t been released, suggests Iran is now more open to engage with the PLO after years of cultivating Hamas, which has so far rejected the organization.
—Benoit Faucon, WSJ, 12 Nov. 2023
Undated for flexibility, this yellow journal is a perfect companion for women seeking to cultivate gratitude and manifest their dreams.
—Theresa Johnson, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2023
While cross-examining Ivanka Trump on Wednesday, the defense argued that at least one firm, Deutsche Bank, gave the Trump family exceptional terms on deals because the bank wanted to cultivate a relationship with their company, not because they were misled about Trump's finances.
—Katrina Kaufman, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2023
See More
Nicole Gull McElroy, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2023
Brussels sprouts were cultivated in Belgium in the 16th century—Brussels coming from the name of the capital of Belgium.
—Anna Theoktisto, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2023
One is a depiction of Diana attempting to cultivate a life of freedom while being entirely fishbowled and relentlessly hounded by the press.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
But it's cultivated a loyal following, thanks to its no-high-rises shoreline, incredible sunsets, and small-town feel.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023
New Africa/Shutterstock) Potatoes were originally from South America and likely first cultivated in Peru about 8,000 years ago.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 15 Nov. 2023
The document, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and hasn’t been released, suggests Iran is now more open to engage with the PLO after years of cultivating Hamas, which has so far rejected the organization.
—Benoit Faucon, WSJ, 12 Nov. 2023
Undated for flexibility, this yellow journal is a perfect companion for women seeking to cultivate gratitude and manifest their dreams.
—Theresa Johnson, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2023
While cross-examining Ivanka Trump on Wednesday, the defense argued that at least one firm, Deutsche Bank, gave the Trump family exceptional terms on deals because the bank wanted to cultivate a relationship with their company, not because they were misled about Trump's finances.
—Katrina Kaufman, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cultivate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing cultivate
Dictionary Entries Near cultivate
Cite this Entry
“Cultivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cultivate. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
cultivate
verb
cul·ti·vate
ˈkəl-tə-ˌvāt
cultivated; cultivating
1
a
: to prepare land for the raising of crops
b
: to loosen or break up the soil around (growing plants)
2
a
: to raise or assist the growth of by tilling or by labor and care
cultivate vegetables
cultivate oysters
b
3
: to improve or develop by careful attention, training, or study : devote time and thought to
cultivate one's mind
cultivate the arts
4
: to seek the company and friendship of
Medical Definition
cultivate
transitive verb
cul·ti·vate
ˈkəl-tə-ˌvāt
cultivated; cultivating
: culture sense 1
viruses cultivated in brain tissue
More from Merriam-Webster on cultivate
Nglish: Translation of cultivate for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of cultivate for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share