as in nascent
beginning to come into existence
I have an incipient dislike and distrust of that guy, and I only met him this morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of incipient
Jennifer Grey saw her incipient stardom go up in smoke after two rhinoplasties, undertaken in the early 1990s at the urging of her mother, left her unrecognizable to people who’d known her since childhood.
—
Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
On one hand, part of their appreciation for warning sirens lies in the noble purpose of preventing harm in the face of incipient natural disasters.
—Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 25 July 2025
Miss Lonelyhearts—who is actually a man—is an advice columnist receiving letters from people who are impoverished, in despair, and surrounded by an atmosphere of moral depravity and incipient fascism.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 July 2025
Marian is now engaged in an incipient romance with the Russells’ son Larry (a little disappointing, given Larry’s undeniable chemistry with the clock-making footman from across the street, but beggars can’t be choosers).
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for incipient
Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
On one hand, part of their appreciation for warning sirens lies in the noble purpose of preventing harm in the face of incipient natural disasters.
—Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 25 July 2025
Miss Lonelyhearts—who is actually a man—is an advice columnist receiving letters from people who are impoverished, in despair, and surrounded by an atmosphere of moral depravity and incipient fascism.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 July 2025
Marian is now engaged in an incipient romance with the Russells’ son Larry (a little disappointing, given Larry’s undeniable chemistry with the clock-making footman from across the street, but beggars can’t be choosers).
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for incipient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incipient
Adjective
-
For Netflix, which is still more nascent in the space than its traditional competitors, the KPop Demon Hunter deals mark a major expansion.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Not all his family returned with him, worried that the nascent ceasefire may not hold.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Anyone who loses will receive five bonus bets that add up to the initial stake.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Calderhead focuses on the British tactic, enacted two days after the initial attack, of moving their fleet into Flushing Bay to anchor for the night.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Tim Curry of Rocky Horror Picture Show fame memorably gave the dancing clown its first breath in a 1990 miniseries co-written and directed by Tommy Lee Wallace.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The Flames, meanwhile, are still searching for their first win at home after starting their season 1-6-0.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Incipient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incipient. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share