1
as in emerging
to come into being
A new counterculture germinating in the city's art district.
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2
as in propagating
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 germinating
After installing a gravel patio or walkway, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to keep weeds from germinating.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
Keep in mind, though, that the timing must be right; some seeds require cold stratification before germinating.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 10 Apr. 2026
This is important to keep weed seeds from germinating.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
Don’t trample or pick the flowers and stay on the paths because even barren ground could have seeds germinating beneath.
—Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Starting Veggie Seeds Outdoors (Direct) Directly sowing vegetable seeds in garden beds saves time, but subjects germinating seeds to weather, pests, and soil inconsistencies.
—Marianne Willburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2026
Black mustard roots exude allelopathic compounds that prevent seeds of other plants, including natives, from germinating.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
Keep in mind, though, that the timing must be right; some seeds require cold stratification before germinating.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 10 Apr. 2026
This is important to keep weed seeds from germinating.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
Don’t trample or pick the flowers and stay on the paths because even barren ground could have seeds germinating beneath.
—Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Starting Veggie Seeds Outdoors (Direct) Directly sowing vegetable seeds in garden beds saves time, but subjects germinating seeds to weather, pests, and soil inconsistencies.
—Marianne Willburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2026
Black mustard roots exude allelopathic compounds that prevent seeds of other plants, including natives, from germinating.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for germinating
Verb
-
There’s a strange dynamic emerging around artificial intelligence.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
-
From my tried-and-true tactics (getting 10,000 daily steps, running, doing Pilates, not snacking after dinner) to emerging advice (lifting heavier weights, eating all the protein), each fresh burst of motivation only leaves me more deflated.—
Petra Guglielmetti,
Glamour,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Here are two simple methods for propagating ZZ plants.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Khartiia’s focus on rapidly evolving technologies has drawn attention beyond Ukraine’s borders.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Public spaces are also evolving.—
Oc Register,
Oc Register,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The streamers usually go for buy-out deals when producing in the UK, which in effect shuts the door on compensation for shows that break out.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Executive producer Roz Coleman and producing advisor Malú Ansaldo complete the company’s core team.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The stopout population keeps growing overall, even as annual stopouts have declined and reenrollment has increased, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
One of those is Tony Mellow, who, at age 70, has been growing fruits and vegetables his entire life on family land in Santa Clara County.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Earth Day on the 22nd is a wonderful anchor for habits around sustainability like planting something, spending more intentional time outside, or cutting back on single-use plastics.—
Cheryl Russell,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
-
One technique that's caught on is intercropping, says Vellimalar — planting other crops in the space between the pepper plants.—
Kamala Thiagarajan,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Refrigeration stops ripening cold.—
Judy Bart Kancigor,
Oc Register,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Netting is an effective barrier to keep squirrels away from ripening fruits and vegetables.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Germinating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/germinating. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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