sprout

verb

\ˈsprau̇t

sprouted; sprouting; sprouts

Definition of sprout

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to grow, spring up, or come forth as or as if a sprout

2 : to send out new growth

transitive verb

: to send forth or up : cause to develop : grow

sprout

noun

Definition of sprout (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : shoot sense 1a especially : a young shoot (as from a seed or root)

b sprouts plural

(1) chiefly British : brussels sprout sense 2

(2) : edible sprouts especially from recently germinated seeds (as of alfalfa or mung beans)

2 : something resembling a sprout: such as

a : a young person

b : scion sense 2

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about sprout

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Synonyms for sprout

Synonyms: Noun

offshoot, outgrowth, shoot

Examples of sprout in a Sentence

Verb

seeds sprouting in the spring Potatoes will sprout in the bag if kept in a warm place. The garden is sprouting weeds. The tree is already sprouting leaves. He sprouted a beard since the last time I saw him. She dreamed that her boss had sprouted horns. Hair sprouted on his face.

Noun

he earned the admiration of the neighborhood sprouts when he showed them how to make a slingshot the raspberry bushes began sending out sprouts in early spring

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

One resident even bought a riding lawnmower to more easily cut the tall grasses sprouting up on the fairways behind his home, Roalofs said. — Kate Talerico, The Courier-Journal, "Going out of business, golf courses become prime redevelopment targets," 5 July 2018 With Uber and Lyft sprouting up in recent years as alternatives to driving to the airport, that could put a damper on growth in demand for parking. — Kelly Yamanouchi, ajc, "Hartsfield-Jackson parking squeeze causes travel hassles," 29 June 2018 One of them produces hundreds of little trees sprouting up from its roots. — Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, "No garden invader is more difficult to eliminate than bamboo," 15 June 2018 Orange ribbons and signs began sprouting up in Deerfield, Highland Park and Northbrook in late May and early June as part of an effort aimed at spreading awareness of gun violence. — Steve Sadin, chicagotribune.com, "'This is a public health issue': North Shore towns mark Gun Violence Awareness Day," 11 June 2018 But as a midway point between the two cities with public transportation and a manageable commute, Howard County is seeing a slew of these properties sprouting up to accommodate residents who want a big-city experience in suburban surroundings. — John-john Williams Iv, Howard County Times, "Luxury apartments proliferate across Howard County," 5 June 2018 There was new life sprouting up from that destruction. — Christal Hayes, USA TODAY, "In flood-hammered Ellicott City, Md., the question lingers: Do you rebuild once more?," 29 May 2018 Dark and violent memories sprout up; grief pervades; animals often turn up dead or in the process. — Brandon Yu, San Francisco Chronicle, "Melissa Stein’s poetry explores the beautiful, awful reality of being female," 15 May 2018 But dig into the poll further and other shoots of optimism for Republicans sprout up. 1. — Chris Cillizza, CNN, "The new CNN poll has some actual good news for Republicans," 9 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Yes, yes, hardworking Scandinavians developed Swedish meatballs and intrepid chefs from Belgium probably discovered the nutritional value of Brussels sprouts. — Joe Queenan, WSJ, "Parmesan vs. Sarmesan: How Dare the Europeans Move Our Cheese," 25 May 2018 In 2017, Fullei Fresh sold more than 2 million pounds of bean sprouts and over 200,000 pounds of alfalfa sprouts. — Joseph A. Mann Jr., miamiherald, "Fullei Fresh puts sprouts on your table | Miami Herald," 17 May 2018 The best main course is the crispy-skin salmon ($29) on a bed of roasted Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and a dice of pickled vegetables. — Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, "Kaya in San Francisco offers a big, boozy toast to Jamaica," 6 Apr. 2018 Everything about this recipe is genius, from the roasted tofu technique to the combination of raw and roasted Brussels sprouts. — Emily Schultz, Bon Appetit, "This Creamy Miso Dressing Will Have You Licking Your Bowl in Front of All Your Coworkers," 19 Mar. 2018 The o in its logo is a lens, and above the company’s name is an outline of a skyline in which the Statue of Liberty sprouts from the middle of a block of suburban houses and urban buildings. — Olivia Nuzzi, Daily Intelligencer, "What Hope Hicks Knows," 18 Mar. 2018 Anywhere between 15 minutes and more than an hour and a half after swallowing their prey, the toads turn out their stomachs and—with a face worthy of a five-year-old presented with a forkful of Brussels sprouts—spit the beetles out. — Meghan Bartels, Newsweek, "Beetles Eaten by Toads Free Themselves With Hot Chemicals That Make Their Captors Vomit," 6 Feb. 2018 Keep the soil temperature at 70 to 80 degrees F and sprouts should appear in 5 to 10 days. — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, "13 Annual Flowers You Can Easily Grow From Seeds," 2 June 2016 Yes, there's mac and cheese (spicy), but also a Tater Tot waffle and fried Brussels sprouts. — Liz Biro, Indianapolis Star, "Here are all the new fried chicken restaurants in Indianapolis," 6 July 2018

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