emanate

verb

em·​a·​nate ˈe-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce emanate (audio)
emanated; emanating

intransitive verb

: to come out from a source
a sweet scent emanating from the blossoms

transitive verb

: emit
she seems to emanate an air of serenity
Choose the Right Synonym for emanate

spring, arise, rise, originate, derive, flow, issue, emanate, proceed, stem mean to come up or out of something into existence.

spring implies rapid or sudden emerging.

an idea that springs to mind

arise and rise may both convey the fact of coming into existence or notice but rise often stresses gradual growth or ascent.

new questions have arisen
slowly rose to prominence

originate implies a definite source or starting point.

the fire originated in the basement

derive implies a prior existence in another form.

the holiday derives from an ancient Roman feast

flow adds to spring a suggestion of abundance or ease of inception.

words flowed easily from her pen

issue suggests emerging from confinement through an outlet.

blood issued from the cut

emanate applies to the coming of something immaterial (such as a thought) from a source.

reports emanating from the capital

proceed stresses place of origin, derivation, parentage, or logical cause.

advice that proceeds from the best of intentions

stem implies originating by dividing or branching off from something as an outgrowth or subordinate development.

industries stemming from space research

Examples of emanate in a Sentence

Good smells emanated from the kitchen. Constant criticism has emanated from her opponents. Happiness seems to emanate from her. She seems to emanate happiness.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Bartlett captured the comet's twisting ion tail wax and wane as it was buffeted by the solar wind emanating from our parent star. Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025 So, despite the bellicose rhetoric often emanating from the White House and Capitol Hill, don’t be surprised if the two sides reach a pragmatic deal. semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2025 Today, the political landscape in academia is more complex and fast-paced, with pressures emanating from both the public and federal government. Laura Gail Miller, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025 In 2021, a team of scientists claimed the amount of methane emanating from Enceladus’ plumes raises the possibility that life exists in the moon’s subsurface ocean. Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for emanate

Word History

Etymology

Latin emanatus, past participle of emanare, from e- + manare to flow

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of emanate was in 1756

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Emanate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emanate. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

emanate

verb
em·​a·​nate ˈem-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce emanate (audio)
emanated; emanating
1
: to come out from a source
a scent emanating from the flowers
2
: emit sense 1a, give out
seems to emanate confidence
emanation
ˌem-ə-ˈnā-shən
noun
emanational
-shnəl
-shən-ᵊl
adjective
emanative
ˈem-ə-ˌnāt-iv
adjective

Medical Definition

emanate

verb
em·​a·​nate ˈem-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce emanate (audio)
emanated; emanating

intransitive verb

: to come out from a source

transitive verb

: to give out or emit

More from Merriam-Webster on emanate

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