Synonyms of germinate

germinate

verb

1

as in to emerge

to come into being

A new counterculture germinating in the city's art district.

Related Words

• emerge
• evolve
• grow
• flourish
• develop
• mature
• thrive
• form
• unfold
• prosper
• play out
• work out
• prove
• fall out
• burgeon
• shake out
• turn out
• pan out

2

as in to propagate

to cause (something, as a seed) to grow

She began by reading up on the best ways to germinate apple seeds.

Related Words

• propagate
• produce
• grow
• sprout
• plant
• ripen
• cultivate
• harvest
• root
• quicken
• sow
• breed
• reap
• culture
• promote
• tend
• gather
• glean
• crop
• raise
• dress
• rear

Dissimilar Words

• kill
• pick
• dig
• pull (up)
• cut
• pluck
• hay
• uproot
• extirpate
• mow

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of germinate

Plant a few seeds and spread them around in a gallon pot—this provides extra insurance, as some seeds may not germinate at all. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 14 Sep. 2026

Chickweed, henbit, hairy bittercress, dead nettle and shepherd’s purse all germinate in late summer and early autumn. — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026

Throughout these years, the seeds of extremism that would forcefully erupt on January 6, 2021, were germinating. — Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026

If gravel tapers off at the edges of your garden, weeds will easily find their way into the soil below and germinate. — Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 21 Aug. 2026