1
as in to spray
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on sow the fields with maize in early spring, and the crop should be ready by late summer

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2
as in to plant
to put or set into the ground to grow first sow the seeds in potting soil

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to breed
to set permanently in the consciousness or mind-set a malicious neighbor who sowed within him nagging suspicions about his wife

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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 sow The White House maintains that anyone living in the country illegally is considered to be a criminal by the federal government, but critics say the raids sow fear in immigrant communities. Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025 The timeline on which SNAP benefits are processed varies by state, meaning a disruption on the federal level could sow confusion. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025 Either spread a 1- or 2-inch layer of bagged garden soil mixed with compost on top of the bales and sow the seeds into the soil, or dig small holes in the bales, fill the holes with soil, and then plant seeds in each hole. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025 Communication lines and data traffic may drop from time to time, too, sowing chaos on the ground and menacing flights across the globe. IEEE Spectrum, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sow
Verb
  • In a bowl or spray bottle, combine 1/2 cup each of baking soda and peroxide with 1 cup of water.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Protesters in Portland began wearing inflatable costumes earlier this month after a federal agent sprayed a chemical spray into the air vent of a protester's frog suit.
    Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Jones also seemed planted in the pocket and was sacked three times in the fourth quarter alone.
    Matt Barrows, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Large, late-flowering bulbs are planted at the bottom.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Originally developed in Germany in the late 19th century, the boxer was bred for hunting, guarding, and later for military and police work, which can make some sense of why the boxer in the video clip was so keen to observe the camera.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • They weren’t bred for their brains, either.
    Bruce Headlam, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Today these works are well defined by Mondrian’s legacy, with his rigid paintings of black-and-white grids, sprinkled with rectangular forms in red, yellow, and blue.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Not only does this help the mushrooms continue to sprinkle their spores along the forest floor, aiding the development of new mycelial networks, but this also avoids bruising and allows the delicate fungi to breathe, keeping them fresh and firm on the journey home.
    Callie Sumlin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Improper use of at-home ear seeding kits can cause irritation, dizziness, or allergic reactions.
    Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 14 Oct. 2025
  • With promises of easier sleep and less stress just one spray away, a product hasn’t sounded more enticing since ear seeding to help with cortisol face.
    Audrey Noble, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The streets are brimming with culture, as homes and buildings peppered throughout the town are adorned with beautiful, colorful murals featuring Black men and women.
    Essence, Essence, 6 Oct. 2025
  • But in many smaller ways, Harris peppers her narrative with places where the Biden White House undercut her or failed to support her.
    Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But these specific second-guess specials will be on the field coaching and playing the Dolphins on Sunday, and their performance will likely be a constant reminder that South Florida’s NFL franchise likely won’t exit the mediocrity merry-go-round until better decision-makers are put in place.
    Omar Kelly October 10, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Marek Plawgo, the communications director for the Polish Diamond League leg in Silesia, explained their decision this summer to host the women’s high jump, pole vault and shot put in the city centre on the day before the meeting at the stadium.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sow. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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