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
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
Or, add a thick layer of mulch to prevent weeds from germinating.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 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
Crabgrass is germinating; use of a preemergence for this weed may be of little value.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 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
Fresh papaya seeds are covered with a slimy coating that prevents them from germinating inside the fruit.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 13 Jan. 2026
Apply pre-emergent herbicides now to prevent summer weeds like crabgrass and goosegrass from germinating.
—Larry Figart, Florida Times-Union, 10 Jan. 2026
Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Or, add a thick layer of mulch to prevent weeds from germinating.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 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
Crabgrass is germinating; use of a preemergence for this weed may be of little value.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 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
Fresh papaya seeds are covered with a slimy coating that prevents them from germinating inside the fruit.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 13 Jan. 2026
Apply pre-emergent herbicides now to prevent summer weeds like crabgrass and goosegrass from germinating.
—Larry Figart, Florida Times-Union, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for germinating
Verb
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This is not merely a bilateral border crisis but a layered security contest shaped by cross-border militancy, emerging technologies and competing threat narratives.—
Rabia Akhtar,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
-
These technologies are considered essential for countering emerging missile threats, particularly those that travel at extremely high speeds and are difficult to detect with traditional systems.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Here are two simple methods for propagating ZZ plants.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Mar. 2026
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The same goes for propagating cactus pups and leaf or stem cuttings.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
See video … LISTEN Tune in as rising tensions with Iran spotlight growing threats from sleeper cells, lone actors, and evolving drone capabilities at home.—
,
FOXNews.com,
18 Mar. 2026
-
These fruits — simultaneous conference titles in basketball and football, plus multiple track and field championships — are born of yearslong efforts to bolster Kennesaw’s brand and compete in an ever-evolving era of college sports.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The experimental jet, part of NASA’s Quesst mission, is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound while producing only a soft sonic thump instead of a disruptive boom.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
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Another issue worrying farmers in major food-producing countries like Brazil and India is that the war is also hurting the export market.—
Fatma Tanis,
NPR,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Moscow relies heavily on oil revenue to finance its war on Ukraine, and sanctions were a growing handicap.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
-
As my clientbase ages, their needs have changed to not only collect bucket list experiences – but work with their growing family for celebrations.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Traffic mitigation measures included planting tall trees and striping the road entrances red to preserve drivers’ line of sight.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
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Beyond planting the cherry tree in a sunny spot, make sure to give it the correct amount of moisture throughout its early years.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For example, serviceberries provide spring-ripening fruit, red-twig dogwoods provide summer fruit, while hawthorns and crabapples provide fruit in fall and winter.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
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Some tricks to slow down ripening and prevent bruising include separating bananas from the bunch, hanging them from a hook, and wrapping their stems in plastic wrap to prevent the release of ethylene gas.—
Heather Riske,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Germinating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/germinating. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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