cultivate

verb

cul·ti·vate | \ ˈkəl-tə-ˌvāt

cultivated; cultivating

Essential Meaning of cultivate

1 : to prepare and use (soil) for growing plants Prehistoric peoples settled the area and began to cultivate the land. Some of the fields are cultivated while others lie fallow.

2 : to grow and care for (plants) a plant that is cultivated for its fruit They survived by cultivating vegetables and grain.

3 : to grow or raise (something) under conditions that you can control pearls from cultivated oysters

Full Definition of cultivate

transitive verb

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)

2a : 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

3 : further, encourage cultivate the arts

4 : to seek the society of : make friends with looking for influential people to cultivate as friends

Other Words from cultivate Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About cultivate

Synonyms & Antonyms for cultivate

Synonyms

Antonyms

lose

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.

Recent Examples on the Web Parents can cultivate openness in kids by exploring lots of activities both for kids individually and as a family. — Alison Escalante, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2022 The gentle pink tones of rose quartz can cultivate qualities of love and self-love. — Jean Chen Smith, The Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2021 Inclusionary housing policies will cultivate a consumer base that can attract established businesses, foster new local businesses, and demand better amenities for the west side. — Matt Canham, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Oct. 2021 By holding wealth in Bitcoin, Native American communities can cultivate sovereign economic systems and move toward eliminating reliance on the federal government. — Patrick Smith, NBC News, 7 May 2021 By following this three-step framework, companies can cultivate a buzzworthy brand through word of mouth and continuously expand their customer base through the strength of their most loyal customers. — Nicky Senyard, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2021 Any activity that involves an element of ingenuity should cultivate joy. — Tarot Astrologers, chicagotribune.com, 29 Nov. 2021 To start or continue the unlearning process within your organization, cultivate a culture that empowers employees to speak up and discuss issues of allyship. — Tara Ataya, Quartz, 22 Nov. 2021 Just as with Millennials before them, brands must cultivate brand loyalty and start building those relationships early. — Erik Huberman, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cultivate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Learn More About cultivate

Dictionary Entries Near cultivate

cultivar

cultivate

cultivated

Statistics for cultivate

Last Updated

13 Jan 2022

Cite this Entry

“Cultivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cultivate. Accessed 20 Jan. 2022.

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More Definitions for cultivate

cultivate

verb

cul·ti·vate | \ ˈkəl-tə-ˌvāt

cultivated; cultivating

Kids Definition of cultivate

1 : to prepare land for the raising of crops cultivate a field

2 : to raise or assist the growth of crops by tilling or by labor and care cultivate corn

3 : to improve or develop by careful attention, training, or study : devote time and thought to He's trying to cultivate a better attitude.

4 : to seek the company and friendship of As soon as Johnny began to cultivate Dove, he was surprised at the response.— Esther Forbes, Johnny Tremain

cultivate

transitive verb

cul·ti·vate | \ ˈkəl-tə-ˌvāt

cultivated; cultivating