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
Problem is, pre-emergent herbicides work by killing newly germinating seeds — all seeds.
—
Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Sep. 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
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
The biodegradable mulch also helps conserve moisture for germinating grass.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2025
Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Sep. 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
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
The biodegradable mulch also helps conserve moisture for germinating grass.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for germinating
Verb
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The designer, who was considered one of London Fashion Week’s emerging talent highlights pre-pandemic, has finally released a new collection, his first since 2020.—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
23 Oct. 2025
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The initiative extends beyond pure production, positioning itself as networking infrastructure for emerging filmmakers.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The idea of waves propagating through a barrier has been around for a long time, since before the existence of quantum mechanics.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
8 Oct. 2025
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Such a blatant falsehood making it to the press conference betrays the fact that there is no limit to how false something has to be in order for this administration to resist propagating it.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Both reflect and honor the evolving identity of the position, just in different ways.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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The thobe is no longer preserving culture, but evolving it, in a way that mirrors the moment Saudi is witnessing.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Unlike many recycling approaches, this method works across multiple plastics and even mixtures, producing gram-scale yields that point to real-world feasibility, as per the release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Oct. 2025
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The humanities program will work with the arts board's Folk & Traditional Arts Apprenticeship program to train master and apprentice Wisconsin folk artists in planning and producing public programs that showcase and contextualize cultural traditions, stories and histories.—
Jim Higgins,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Charlotte is growing at a rapid rate, and infrastructure, including public transportation, is a critical part of that growth.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
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The environmental effects on national parks and public lands are growing.—
Monica Sanders,
Forbes.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Spring is typically best for planting perennials and shrubs, though some bare-root trees can be planted in winter in milder climates.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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There’s been so many examples through the years of filmmakers planting all these seeds or proposing these big universes and imagining these big slates that never end up going anywhere.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Pruning peppers in fall not only encourages these plants to focus their energy on ripening any remaining fruit before frost arrives but also keeps them at a more manageable size to cover them as needed.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Oct. 2025
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The bag-ripening process works like a charm.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Germinating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/germinating. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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