seed 1 of 2

noun

ˈsēd How to pronounce seed (audio)
Definition of seednext
1
as in root
the source from which something grows or develops ancient Greece provided the seed for much of Western civilization's political and philosophical thought

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2
as in offspring
the descendants of a person, animal, or plant the famous stallion's seed can be found on racetracks all over the world

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

seed

2 of 2

verb

as in to plant
to put or set into the ground to grow seeded grass in the backyard

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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 seed
Noun
The star ingredients here are coconut oil—one of the most popular hair moisturizers—and fennel seed oil, which is lightweight and can help strengthen and thus prevent breakage. — Eden Stuart, Glamour, 7 July 2026 Seeing her best friend’s surrogacy journey unfold up close planted a seed that would eventually change the course of her own life. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Verb
However, in New England, silage corn harvest can extend to late October due to labor constraints, unfavorable soil conditions, and weather variability, which can substantially narrow the window for early cover crop establishment using these conventional drill-seeding methods. — Nora Doonan, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026 European leaders fear pro-Russian groups are seeding AI chatbots with propaganda. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for seed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seed
  1. root
  2. offspring
  3. plant
  4. origin
  5. fruit
  6. germ
  7. beginning
Noun
  • The roots of the fall-out stretch back to 2019, before filming for the franchise’s fourth feature instalment began, when Margera signed a wellness agreement with the producers which committed him to sobriety amid his struggles with alcoholism.
    — Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 3 July 2026
  • Simply apply 1 to 2 inches of natural mulch, like bark mulch, over the roots of your plants to lock in soil moisture and keep the mulch line at least 1 inch away from the plant's stems.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
Definition of root
Noun
  • After several generations, those faster-growing cells produced more offspring and became increasingly common in the population, demonstrating a basic form of natural selection.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • Instead, the system simply makes a bunch of copies to increase the probability that some of them will end up in each of the offspring.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
Definition of offspring
Verb
  • Her suggestions include an IONNYK digital art frame, planting trees in a national park through the National Park Foundation or a custom travel trunk by Eva Joan Repair.
    — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026
  • This season, some farmers may opt to plant crops that require less nitrogen fertilizer than corn, such as soy beans, in response to rising costs.
    — Joe Hernandez, NPR, 3 July 2026
Definition of plant
Noun
  • The innovative fair’s first international edition will debut during Art Basel Paris and be staged in two buildings in the Marais, a swerve from its highly specific locational origins.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 9 July 2026
  • And that historically had a sort of origin in the Drake equation, which might have fallen out of favor, but really structured the conversation for a long time.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 July 2026
Definition of origin
Noun
  • The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health recommends soaking leafy produce and fuzzy fruits like peaches in a 10% white vinegar and 90% water mixture.
    — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • The palate does pack an initial punch, with great viscosity and bold interplay between honeyed sweetness and charred orchard fruits.
    — David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of fruit
Noun
  • Germ theory also emerged in the late 1800s, in which scientists discovered that germs caused disease.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • Besides creating the right environment for germs and bacteria to thrive, outdoor garbage cans can become moldy, attract scavenging wildlife and pests, and become overwhelmingly stinky.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
Definition of germ
Noun
  • More than 73,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilian and militant deaths, including more than 1,000 killed since the beginning of the latest ceasefire.
    — Steve Peoples, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Johnson Products Company — which would later go on to manufacture Ultra Sheen, Classy Curl, Curly Perm and men’s cologne line Black Tie — was made from humble beginnings, grit and a revolutionary product idea.
    — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of beginning

Phrases Containing seed

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see after
seed
seedbed
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Cite this Entry

“Seed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seed. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on seed

Nglish: Translation of seed for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about seed

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