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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Such work would be an important reality check as society grapples with this kind of emerging threat from AI, says Casadevall, but would be tricky to do, as it might be precluded by international treaties prohibiting the development of biological weapons.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
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There is no set number of events BCA will do leading up to construction, Cherry said, but the center would like to engage with the surrounding neighborhoods, including emerging Black and brown artists in the Harambee neighborhood and around the city.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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To develop a whole-virus vaccine, researchers must first spend months isolating and propagating the virus.—
Deborah Fuller,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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These datasets can help guide decisions about where to explore for these minerals, how to mitigate the environmental impacts of mining, and how to assess Earth's evolving surface in a changing climate.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Conclusion With engineering breakthroughs and evolving automotive and aviation standards, flying cars are no longer a distant sci-fi fantasy.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 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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In the time since, the Post has shed much of its former staff, some of whom have found success producing the same content on other platforms.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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What follows is Hanke’s account of the administration’s growing interest in advocating the dollarization path, a course of action Milei has been unable to deliver on.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
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More than 100 international TV series and formats, animation, feature films and documentaries in various stages of the production cycle will be pitched to hundreds of top execs this week in the Eternal City, underscoring the growing influence of the pre-Mipcom boutique event.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Unveiling of Goodall’s Rose Henry Breed, political adviser in the UN General Assembly, proposed creating the Jane Goodall Rose in hopes of planting it at the UN’s International Peace Garden.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Oct. 2025
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Make sure to take size into account when planting so the mums don’t give the coral bells too much shade.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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An overripe berry can accelerate ripening in the fruit it is being stored with.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
29 Sep. 2025
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After months of bilateral talks between the two countries, the moment was ripening for a provisional peace accord.—
Thomas de Waal,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Germinating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/germinating. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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