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 long, lightweight seed pods catch the wind and disperse seeds all over your yard, your neighbors’, and in the little cracks between your sidewalk. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 July 2026 Owners Ted and Kris Grinter plan to plant the seeds next week, and the flowers will bloom in August and September. — Alexa Newsom, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026
Verb
The point of the Top 10 lists, Chandrasekaran said, is to steer young adults to employers that are actively hiring recent graduates into jobs that can seed meaningful careers. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 29 June 2026 As one option, sources told Semafor that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has favored creating a sovereign wealth fund seeded by leading AI firms. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 30 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 census ancestry and origin data are estimates based on a sample of the population and include margins of error that can be large for small population groups.
    — Albert Sun, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • Understanding the origin of life requires addressing a collection of overlapping scientific questions.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 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 8 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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