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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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Recent Examples of germinate
Keep the soil consistently moist until the seeds germinate, about two weeks later.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Speight recommends providing bottom heat to help your seedlings germinate by placing seed trays over a heat mat, on top of a refrigerator, or over a vent.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
Many seeds do not need light to germinate, but once those first leaves break through the soil surface, the light should be strong and constant to prevent weak, leggy seedlings.
—Marianne Willburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2026
In the proper conditions, the seeds will germinate.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for germinate
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Speight recommends providing bottom heat to help your seedlings germinate by placing seed trays over a heat mat, on top of a refrigerator, or over a vent.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
Many seeds do not need light to germinate, but once those first leaves break through the soil surface, the light should be strong and constant to prevent weak, leggy seedlings.
—Marianne Willburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2026
In the proper conditions, the seeds will germinate.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for germinate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for germinate
Verb
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The new biennials that emerged in non-Western cities in these years offered an alternative to this idea that difference necessarily leads to conflict, proposing spaces in which difference could be staged without being territorialized.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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Phelps has emerged as the leading force among the linebacker group and appears to be the only lock as a 2026 starter.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But when a powerful capability spreads widely, mistakes propagate further and misuse gets cheaper.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
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That means that winemakers across what is now France must have switched from domesticating wild grapes to propagating them directly—that is, cloning grapevines by taking cuttings of the plants to start new groves.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Planets typically evolve from the rotating dust and gas disc encompassing a young star.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
2 Apr. 2026
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The collection merges advanced material engineering with innovative fiber compositions and a refined design language, offering a new perspective on how denim can evolve—both technically and aesthetically.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The bottom of the lineup produced both of Miami’s runs in the second inning, with an Owen Caissie double to left-center field driving in Xavier Edwards and a Javier Sanoja single down the left-field line scoring Caissie.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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The American Meteor Society says that there was a notable increase in fireball activity in early 2026, with ten incidents until mid-March producing more than 100 witness reports apiece.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As ideological blocs collapsed, political scientist Samuel Huntington’s influential 1996 book Clash of Civilizations articulated a growing anxiety that globalization would harden into cultural antagonism rather than consensus.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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New Era, a 200-bed facility, has had recurring outbreaks of Legionella, the bacteria that grow within water and air conditioning systems and can cause Legionnaires’ Disease, records show.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Germinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/germinate. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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