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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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of germinate
With an ability to rapidly regenerate and germinate seeds after fires, the shrub is well adapted to wildfire-prone areas, the governor’s announcement said.
—
Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Fire poppies are rare, germinating only in the presence of karrikins, a chemical compound in smoke, which awakens them from dormancy.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
The seeds of a daylong gathering have been germinating for a while.
—Cathy Applefeld Olson, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
But so much more of our time is spent online now that it’s become disingenuous and out-of-touch to insist, in film, that internet usage is merely an isolated distraction — especially at a time when violent action so often germinates online.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for germinate
Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Fire poppies are rare, germinating only in the presence of karrikins, a chemical compound in smoke, which awakens them from dormancy.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
The seeds of a daylong gathering have been germinating for a while.
—Cathy Applefeld Olson, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
But so much more of our time is spent online now that it’s become disingenuous and out-of-touch to insist, in film, that internet usage is merely an isolated distraction — especially at a time when violent action so often germinates online.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for germinate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for germinate
Verb
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Soeren Stache | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Microsoft is giving employees a way to raise concerns about the uses of its technology after controversy emerged over the company's work in the Middle East.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
6 Nov. 2025
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The first indication that dark energy may not be as dominant as previously thought emerged courtesy of the first results from DESI in Spring 2024.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Sympodial orchids must be propagated by dividing them, not pruning or trimming them.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
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To propagate directly in soil instead, place the cutting in a small pot filled with well-draining soil so the node is buried.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The tight end position has evolved significantly, but there’s still a little old-fashioned magic to it.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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The court's ruling could influence how future AI laws evolve and how victims seek justice.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This episode was produced by Michelle Aslam and edited by Liana Simstrom and Irene Noguchi.—
Sarah McCammon,
NPR,
2 Nov. 2025
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Even weaker storms can produce excessive rainfall that can flood low-lying areas.—
William B. Davis,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Several of the production facilities that CNN analyzed have swiftly replaced villages and farmland, growing by tens of thousands of square feet in the past five years.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Though George Washington and the press started off amicably, their relationship grew more adversarial once journalists began criticizing the nation’s first president.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Germinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/germinate. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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