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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
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
So this week, as Mercury reminds you to connect with grace and Venus dares you to simplify your love and money story, know that the real magic is already germinating under the surface.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 14 Sep. 2025
In between times, there are long shots of the gingko, tree’s-eye views of what is happening on the ground and squelching closeups of germinating seeds – luscious and inescapably sensual.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for germinate
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
So this week, as Mercury reminds you to connect with grace and Venus dares you to simplify your love and money story, know that the real magic is already germinating under the surface.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 14 Sep. 2025
In between times, there are long shots of the gingko, tree’s-eye views of what is happening on the ground and squelching closeups of germinating seeds – luscious and inescapably sensual.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for germinate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for germinate
Verb
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And its prestige image started to fade as snazzy new Chinese EV makers emerged and Tesla’s lineup needed a refresher (a new, roomier six-seater Model Y had a successful launch in August).—
Rebecca A. Fannin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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This card often symbolizes new beginnings that emerge from emotional clarity.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The idea propagated by Saturday Night Live skits and sitcom one-liners that Lilith Fair was a misandrist showcase for joyless, hormonal angst was totally alien to accounts of what being there actually felt like.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
30 Sep. 2025
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Plants can be divided every four years to maintain plant health, reduce clump size, and propagate new plants.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The festival, which started in Little Rock in 1984, has evolved beyond Greek food to include recipes and dishes from Palestine, Armenia, India and more of the nationalities represented at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, the festival's host and one of its main sponsors.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Oct. 2025
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As time passed, however, the ritual evolved.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Meet Nashville's new crime-fighting Clydesdale Metro Nashville mounted patrol officer Michael Douglas squeezed a three-foot-long rubber chicken, producing an increasingly louder and closer screeching sound to try and provoke a 1,700-pound Clydesdale named Ross.—
Laura L. Davis,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Oct. 2025
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Now the podcast era produces orders of magnitude more hours of political commentary than any human can consume.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Most pressing is inflation – but there’s also Japan’s demographic crisis, with a rapidly aging population, falling birthrate, shrinking workforce, and growing costs of elder care and welfare.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
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Short cruises, typically lasting less than a week, are growing in popularity for quick getaways.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Germinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/germinate. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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