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
How To Prevent New Weeds Pre-emergent herbicide keeps weed seeds from germinating and blocks them from taking root.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
Quinoa thrives in cool temperatures, germinating when soil temperatures are between 36°F and 68°F.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2026
These structures are envelopes of starch that shift and settle at the bottom of plant cells, helping the organisms to detect changes in their position and stability—and to tell germinating seeds in which direction to grow their roots.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 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
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, 28 Apr. 2026
Quinoa thrives in cool temperatures, germinating when soil temperatures are between 36°F and 68°F.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2026
These structures are envelopes of starch that shift and settle at the bottom of plant cells, helping the organisms to detect changes in their position and stability—and to tell germinating seeds in which direction to grow their roots.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 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
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
-
For a while, SDFC had been emerging from its funk.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
Through programming spanning the Grammys, Emmys, Oscars, and Cannes, his work focuses on building practical and cultural bridges between the creative industries and emerging AI tools.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Fascism, then and now, is masterful at propagating and reinforcing its ideas through an aesthetic that captivates a large number of people.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
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Avoid propagating plants that are actively flowering.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Amazon is evolving its strategy as the e-commerce industry grapples with the rise of AI shopping bots.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
-
But the situation is rapidly evolving and things could change.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Among his earliest campaign donors, according to city filings, is top unscripted producer Jeff Jenkins, known for producing The Simple Life as well as Keeping Up with the Kardashians and its offshoots.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
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The retailer is known for producing high-end bedding with low-end prices, most of which are thoughtfully designed and ethically sourced.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Most clubs are still focused on filling seats and growing loyal fan bases.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
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Meanwhile, some developing regions are growing brighter, partly because of inefficient, sprawling development.—
Bree Shirvell,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The problem is that the AI is misleadingly planting very sour ideas in my head and could easily push me into a much worse mental condition.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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Kapuga nods to men digging mud out of shin-deep water, preparing the paddy fields for planting rice.—
Diaa Hadid,
NPR,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Among them is Carignan, a grape previously dismissed for ripening too early in the season but now reconsidered as climate patterns shift.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
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This keeps plants focused on flowering instead of ripening seeds.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Germinating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/germinating. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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