1
as in spraying
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in planting
to put or set into the ground to grow
first sow the seeds in potting soil
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in breeding
to set permanently in the consciousness or mind-set
a malicious neighbor who sowed within him nagging suspicions about his wife
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sowing
By doing a bit of planning, and sowing or planting second crops, your cutting garden and home can be filled with flowers until the first hard frost.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026
Cover the seed with a thin layer of straw after sowing to prevent erosion.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 3 Apr. 2026
In San Martin that day, a helicopter landed, unloading between 20 and 30 soldiers who entered a property and detained five people who had been sowing grass and tending to pastures, the complaint said.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Light After sowing your seedlings, place them in a location with bright, indirect sunlight.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 11 Mar. 2026
Starting Veggie Seeds Outdoors (Direct) Directly sowing vegetable seeds in garden beds saves time, but subjects germinating seeds to weather, pests, and soil inconsistencies.
—Marianne Willburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2026
For some Houston voters, Tuesday’s primary was their third time casting ballots in a congressional race in four months, sowing confusion.
—Dallas Morning News, 4 Mar. 2026
Named for the Roman goddess of sowing seeds, the restaurant opens March 14, and its art isn’t limited to the cuisine.
—Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2026
My group Unleash Prosperity warned repeatedly during the Biden years that the auto industry was sowing the seeds of its own destruction by getting hooked on the fool’s profits of taxpayer handouts for EVs.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026
Cover the seed with a thin layer of straw after sowing to prevent erosion.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 3 Apr. 2026
In San Martin that day, a helicopter landed, unloading between 20 and 30 soldiers who entered a property and detained five people who had been sowing grass and tending to pastures, the complaint said.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Light After sowing your seedlings, place them in a location with bright, indirect sunlight.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 11 Mar. 2026
Starting Veggie Seeds Outdoors (Direct) Directly sowing vegetable seeds in garden beds saves time, but subjects germinating seeds to weather, pests, and soil inconsistencies.
—Marianne Willburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2026
For some Houston voters, Tuesday’s primary was their third time casting ballots in a congressional race in four months, sowing confusion.
—Dallas Morning News, 4 Mar. 2026
Named for the Roman goddess of sowing seeds, the restaurant opens March 14, and its art isn’t limited to the cuisine.
—Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2026
My group Unleash Prosperity warned repeatedly during the Biden years that the auto industry was sowing the seeds of its own destruction by getting hooked on the fool’s profits of taxpayer handouts for EVs.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sowing
Verb
-
In the Ring video, a person dressed in black pants and a gray T-shirt, with a gray sweatshirt draped over his shoulder, chases two dogs down a residential street, spraying them with pellets from what looks like a gel gun.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Ahead, find the 18 fragrances InStyle editors are spraying on with abandon this spring.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If planting more than one dragon fruit, space them at least 6 feet apart.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The kids were taking part in learning about birds, their environments, and planting trees that will help the birds have food and shelter.—
Patrick Damp,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Giant pandas reach adulthood and begin breeding between ages 5 and 7, with females maturing faster than males.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Penguins that are not breeding can stay in the water for more than 150 hours at a time.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The younger two brothers float paper boats in the kitchen sink and Jeremy plays along, sprinkling flour on their heads—but making the kitchen a total mess.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Jacobs, 33, sits next to her, sprinkling something in while their son, Benson, wears a ghost costume and adds something else.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Nuggets, who finish the season at San Antonio on Sunday night, prioritized rest over seeding.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Buffalo has clinched a playoff spot already, but is in a fight with Tampa for seeding and get the moribund Rangers to boost those odds.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
To recreate at home, use varying sizes of dotting tools, making sure to let each layer dry before applying the next.—
Georgia Day,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Come winter, beach towns like this one dotting the Atlantic Coast stretch of Florida surrounding Fort Lauderdale have long brimmed with French Canadian tourists and other snowbirds who arrive for warmth and sunshine.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sowing. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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