1
as in emerging
to come into being
A new counterculture germinating in the city's art district.
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2
as in propagating
to cause (something, as a seed) to grow
She began by reading up on the best ways to germinate apple seeds.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of germinating
Quinoa thrives in cool temperatures, germinating when soil temperatures are between 36°F and 68°F.
—
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2026
These structures are envelopes of starch that shift and settle at the bottom of plant cells, helping the organisms to detect changes in their position and stability—and to tell germinating seeds in which direction to grow their roots.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
After installing a gravel patio or walkway, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to keep weeds from germinating.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
Keep in mind, though, that the timing must be right; some seeds require cold stratification before germinating.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 10 Apr. 2026
This is important to keep weed seeds from germinating.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
Don’t trample or pick the flowers and stay on the paths because even barren ground could have seeds germinating beneath.
—Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Black mustard roots exude allelopathic compounds that prevent seeds of other plants, including natives, from germinating.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2026
These structures are envelopes of starch that shift and settle at the bottom of plant cells, helping the organisms to detect changes in their position and stability—and to tell germinating seeds in which direction to grow their roots.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
After installing a gravel patio or walkway, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to keep weeds from germinating.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
Keep in mind, though, that the timing must be right; some seeds require cold stratification before germinating.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 10 Apr. 2026
This is important to keep weed seeds from germinating.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
Don’t trample or pick the flowers and stay on the paths because even barren ground could have seeds germinating beneath.
—Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Black mustard roots exude allelopathic compounds that prevent seeds of other plants, including natives, from germinating.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for germinating
Verb
-
From the pale pink jeans championed by Agolde, AG, and Frame this spring to the bold pop of red denim on Isabel Marant’s Fall/Winter 2026–2027 runway, colorful denim is emerging as a trend worth watching.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
As IndieWire exclusively announces, the new program is designed to identify and elevate a single emerging filmmaker with a distinct creative voice worth championing today.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Avoid propagating plants that are actively flowering.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Apr. 2026
-
That means that winemakers across what is now France must have switched from domesticating wild grapes to propagating them directly—that is, cloning grapevines by taking cuttings of the plants to start new groves.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The trial centers on the 2015 birth of the ChatGPT maker as a nonprofit startup primarily funded by Musk before evolving into a capitalistic venture now valued at $852 billion.—
Barbara Ortutay,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The production, directed with the brooding fluidity that is David Cromer’s calling card, is most alive in the evolving dynamic between Nick and Jacki, whose romance happens by degrees then all at once before reality intervenes and the criminal justice bureaucracy grinds to a halt.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Over the past two seasons, Murdock combined for 298 tackles, almost 50 more than anyone else in the FBS, while producing 30 tackles for loss and seven sacks.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
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Green cabbage tends to be more common for fermenting, a process by which microorganisms (bacteria, yeast, or fungi) break down sugars and starches in food, producing acids, gases, or alcohol as byproducts.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
By mapping the chemical signatures of different growing regions, Supima can provide forensic proof that a product is exactly what the label claims.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The pageantry began Monday amid heightened security concerns and a growing rift over the Iran war.—
Michael Birnbaum,
Washington Post,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Don’t expect to hear the last of this for a long time, not least because police are looking into video footage that appeared to show a York player planting a left hand on a Rochdale fan amid the pandemonium.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Additionally, planting garlic bulbs around the perimeter of your garden can create a protective barrier against deer.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Fruits are ripening and the birds are overhead migrating day and night, guided by the sun and stars on their mind-boggling journeys.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Small, white flowers bloom from late winter to early spring, with fruit ripening in the fall on mature trees.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Germinating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/germinating. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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