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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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 new firm has closed a seed funding round, with Black Bear and Fundamental Films investing. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026 With constant blazes, shrubs cannot replenish their seed banks fast enough and, eventually, there are few seeds left for the plants to grow from after fire. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Verb
That wealth would continue to grow after Mason’s death, seeding the fortunes of a Black family dynasty in Los Angeles. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 Additional information regarding seeding and automatic bids will be released at a later date. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 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
  • Reid on Wednesday remembered a player who embraced his rural roots — Bailey grew up in Hog Hammock on Sapelo Island off the Georgia coast — and offered, ahem, a culinary tip.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The goddesses in these paintings have a serene air, with roots firmly anchored in the earth, but also a crown of leaves that sway with the wind.
    — Tatiane de Assis, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of root
Noun
  • Ella Bleu Travolta, John’s daughter, walked the Miu Miu show, and Apple Martin, offspring of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, debuted on the runway for Chloé after fronting one of its campaigns.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Researchers collect the parents' DNA since their offspring are fragile when young.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of offspring
Verb
  • Last month, two South Korean soldiers were seriously wounded by what Seoul says were North Korean mines planted as part of those fortifications.
    — Anna Coren, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Overton, however, claimed that both informants were lying — and that the semen found on the comforter was planted on the scene by a spurned ex-lover with connections to the police department.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of plant
Noun
  • Theoretical arguments suggest that a substantial part, if not all, of the randomness in the world is of quantum origin.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • For anyone who grinds fresh every morning and chases single-origin lots, online talk about mold and mycotoxins in coffee tends to raise a practical question about how the stuff gets onto beans in the first place.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of origin
Noun
  • Fresh bread, pastries, and cakes are baked daily and served alongside fruit, a huge variety of cheeses, hummus, salmon, and egg dishes, and—a given at a hotel that celebrates traditional Madrid life— churros.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Percy Shelley and Claire Clairmont’s participation in the friendly competition did not bear such fruit.
    — Maria Papadouris, JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of fruit
Noun
  • Kreutzer grabbed the germ of an idea for the film from a 2020 newspaper article about pedophiles.
    — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Shigella bacteria are named for Japanese bacteriologist Shiga Kiyoshi, who discovered the germ in 1897, Britannica said.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of germ
Noun
  • Expect some traffic back-ups at the beginning and end of the game as parking lots empty and drivers hit the road in what is a construction zone on highways running through downtown.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Advertisement At the beginning of May, separatists turned in a petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to push for a vote on leaving Canada, while opponents collected signatures in support of staying.
    — Chantelle Lee, Time, 20 Oct. 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 26 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on seed

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about seed

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