How to Use germinate in a Sentence

germinate

verb
  • Most seeds will not germinate if the soil is too cold.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 24 June 2026
  • Keep moist and in about two weeks the seeds should germinate.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2025
  • Do not plant too deep, or seeds may rot and not germinate.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 11 May 2026
  • Green onions can take time to germinate.
    — Rachel Gillett, Martha Stewart, 29 Dec. 2025
  • The seeds should germinate in about one month, so keep an eye out for sprouts.
    — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The seed must be able to make contact with soil to germinate.
    — Calvin Finch, ExpressNews.com, 10 Sep. 2020
  • Look for one or two that take the shortest time to germinate.
    — Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Feb. 2022
  • This is a project that has been germinating in my head for a long time.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 12 May 2025
  • Its large seeds are easy to plant and germinate in as little as one week.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 22 May 2026
  • Seeds germinate in spring and this true grass produces lots of seeds.
    — Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Sep. 2022
  • The seeds need light to germinate, so do not cover them.
    — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Both of these herbs are best grown from seed sown in place, though both take a while to germinate.
    — Pam Peirce, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Dec. 2022
  • Papaya seeds that are dried will need more time to germinate.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 13 Jan. 2026
  • These go to seed, and in the late summer the plants germinate and start the spread.
    — Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 21 June 2018
  • The seeds germinate in about three weeks, with plants taking about three months to bloom.
    — Steve Bender, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2023
  • The researchers were even able to coax three of those seeds to germinate and one egg to hatch.
    — Erica Tennenhouse, Discover Magazine, 17 Nov. 2017
  • This time frame does not include the days to weeks the seed needs to germinate or emerge from the soil.
    — Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 10 Feb. 2025
  • And so this idea started to germinate in summer of last year.
    — Ariana Marsh, Harper's BAZAAR, 18 Aug. 2021
  • Seeds are formed in pods after the flower fade and are easy to germinate.
    — Tom MacCubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, 28 Apr. 2018
  • Seeds are formed in pods after the flowers fade and are easy to germinate.
    — Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 1 May 2021
  • The seeds will not germinate this season because the soil is too warm.
    — Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 16 Apr. 2022
  • The warm soil will help the seeds germinate quickly, in as little as a week.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 1 June 2026
  • Your seeds can still germinate but may be delayed if the soil is allowed to dry out.
    — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 20 Apr. 2026
  • The seeds should begin to germinate and grow over the next few months, maybe sooner.
    — Teri Webster, Dallas News, 13 Oct. 2020
  • Use a high-quality seedling heat mat for seeds that need warm soil to germinate.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
  • And the thinner skin means the plants can germinate more quickly.
    — Annalee Newitz, Ars Technica, 26 Jan. 2018
  • If most of the seeds germinate, then use the remaining seeds.
    — Joanne Kempinger Demski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4 May 2018
  • Nine of the seeds in the first batch germinated, three of the second and four of the third.
    — Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, Indianapolis Star, 8 Sep. 2017
  • Seeds germinate in 4 to 7 days.
    — Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Then the weather cools in fall, and new seedlings germinate in every bare spot in your lawn.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'germinate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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