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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Recent Examples of germinating
Keep the soil surface moist when germinating seeds, but reduce watering after parsley sprouts and grows a few leaves.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
Apply a crabgrass preventer around midmonth to stop weedy grasses from germinating.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
And outdoor soil often contains weed seeds and disease pathogens that interfere with seeds germinating and sprouting.
—Kerry Michaels, The Spruce, 21 Jan. 2026
The set includes a tray with four removable cups for planting; place the large, clear glass dome over your germinating seeds to keep them warm and moist.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
Fresh papaya seeds are covered with a slimy coating that prevents them from germinating inside the fruit.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 13 Jan. 2026
That was a surprisingly fertile base for germinating Kiri.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 20 Dec. 2025
In magnolias, the bright red/orange fleshy coating can keep those seeds from germinating for several years, until weathering breaks down and/or weathers away those compounds.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Nov. 2025
The idea for Netflix House has been germinating at the company for years, Chief Marketing Officer Marian Lee told USA TODAY at the site, just a week before the attraction was set to open in suburban Philadelphia.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
Apply a crabgrass preventer around midmonth to stop weedy grasses from germinating.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
And outdoor soil often contains weed seeds and disease pathogens that interfere with seeds germinating and sprouting.
—Kerry Michaels, The Spruce, 21 Jan. 2026
The set includes a tray with four removable cups for planting; place the large, clear glass dome over your germinating seeds to keep them warm and moist.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
Fresh papaya seeds are covered with a slimy coating that prevents them from germinating inside the fruit.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 13 Jan. 2026
That was a surprisingly fertile base for germinating Kiri.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 20 Dec. 2025
In magnolias, the bright red/orange fleshy coating can keep those seeds from germinating for several years, until weathering breaks down and/or weathers away those compounds.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Nov. 2025
The idea for Netflix House has been germinating at the company for years, Chief Marketing Officer Marian Lee told USA TODAY at the site, just a week before the attraction was set to open in suburban Philadelphia.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for germinating
Verb
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As silicon scaling slows and energy costs climb, multiple alternative computing paradigms are emerging in parallel.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Although there has been some animal and human research on artificial food dyes, funding for more is insufficient, and there’s even less for the study of emerging alternatives, experts told CNN in May — so whether natural dyes could have any effect on human health isn’t clear.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Pert, smiling, and all-natural (except for their Botox), the MAHA mom helped Trump ascend to victory by propagating dangerous misinformation about the MMR vaccine, a modern medical advance that has saved countless children’s lives.—
Ej Dickson,
Rolling Stone,
6 Feb. 2026
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If there is no wave propagating, then there is no power dissipation.—
Dina Genkina,
IEEE Spectrum,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The researchers envision this fungal innovation evolving beyond basic insulation into a versatile staple of modern construction.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Coldplay and evolving visibility Coldplay was the halftime show headliner in 2016, bringing out Beyoncé and Bruno Mars for a performance built around themes of unity, inclusion and joy.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Columbia River Basin, spanning an area roughly the size of Texas, was once the world's greatest salmon-producing river system, with at least 16 stocks of salmon and steelhead.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Feb. 2026
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Perhaps, on extremely long timescales, those heavier elements will sink to the center of the core, producing an inert center that slows the rate of fusion even further.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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China’s growing crackdown on Hong Kong further strained relations, and spurred then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson to offer citizenship for up to 3 million residents of Hong Kong, a former colony that Britain handed back to China in 1997.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
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But in a zero-sum world, where more money spent on incarceration means less money available for California’s growing network of trauma recovery centers, that’s a bad bargain.—
Kathy Brown-Lowe,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This step keeps cuttings from becoming overly moist after planting.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
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Once your spring seed order has arrived from your favorite seed company, waiting to start planting your seeds can be difficult.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Peppers An early start indoors is a must for peppers to begin ripening by mid-summer.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Jan. 2026
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An overripe berry can accelerate ripening in the fruit it is being stored with.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Germinating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/germinating. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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