cultivate

verb

ˈkəl-tə-ˌvāt How to pronounce cultivate (audio)
Definition of cultivatenext
1
as in to develop
to come to have gradually cultivated a taste for opera in order to fit in with his new circle of friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to promote
to help the growth or development of cultivated a passion for learning among his students over the years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to grow
to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care in an attempt to produce New World counterparts of the wines that he had enjoyed in Europe, Jefferson cultivated several varieties of grapes at Monticello

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to harvest
to work by plowing, sowing, and raising crops on we ought to cultivate the field out back

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 cultivate For employers, this highlights the importance of investing in communication, career development and trust to cultivate long-term engagement. — Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 The one-person filmmaker averages 3 million views per episode and has cultivated a YouTube audience of 500,000. — Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026 With programming that’s long been gloriously unclassifiable, the annual film event has also cultivated an audience and competition jury pool that tends to embrace the unexpected as enthusiastically as its programmers. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026 But the star has cultivated a loyal collective of her favorite brands, including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Stella McCartney and Area (recall her famous Super Bowl jeans). — Morgan Evans, USA Today, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cultivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cultivate
  1. develop
  2. promote
  3. grow
  4. harvest
  5. acquire
  6. encourage
  7. produce
  8. tend
Verb
  • As adult influencers dominate online fashion culture, and tweens and teens see the same content as adults, there are fewer spaces for young people to develop styles of their own.
    — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 2 July 2026
  • However, treatment given soon after exposure can prevent the infection from developing.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of develop
Verb
  • Good Chop is dedicated to providing the finest cuts of meat while promoting sustainable practices.
    — Rachel Cortez, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • The company threw a lavish caviar party at Cannes and in May hosted panels promoting its cinematic tool at Amazon’s AI on the Lot event in Culver City.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of promote
Verb
  • The iconic fast food company has grown beyond its California roots in recent years, opening locations in Colorado, Texas, Idaho, and as far east as Tennessee.
    — James Powel, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • And a growing body of research suggests that one of the simplest ways to help isn’t more space or more exercise.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026
Definition of grow
Verb
  • That rings especially true in the garden, where hands have dug through the earth for centuries, harvesting vegetables and plucking beautiful blossoms.
    — Shagun Khare, Martha Stewart, 7 July 2026
  • Slicing, pickling, and bush-type cucumbers are ready to harvest after 50 to 70 days from planting seeds.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 July 2026
Definition of harvest
Verb
  • Harry's decision comes amid ongoing discussions with the royal family to acquire an appropriate level of security for his family, including Meghan Markle and their two children, Princess Lilibet, 5, and Prince Archie, 7.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 5 July 2026
  • The new rate does not cover the cost of acquiring or performing treatment in most cases.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026
Definition of acquire
Verb
  • Valentine also testified that the FDA encourages infant formula companies to send in all adverse event reports and that nothing prevented Mead Johnson from doing so.
    — David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • Going forward, the city will encourage data center developers to submit an application for a special use district, meaning the site would specifically be used for a data center, nothing else.
    — Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 2 July 2026
Definition of encourage
Verb
  • Nevertheless, there are several measures that gardeners can take to keep themselves, their children, plants and produce safe from potentially harmful contaminants stemming from the fire.
    — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Instead of producing energy from heat, as with the radiothermal generators found on deep-space probes like Voyager 2, the NanoTritium system generates electricity directly.
    — David Szondy July 07, New Atlas, 8 July 2026
Definition of produce
Verb
  • History shows family successions, whether in North Korea or Syria, tend to happen through rigid authoritarian control, with the transfer of power underwritten by whoever controls the military.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • White sneakers tend to lead the trends come spring and summer, but Styles is proof that a black pair of comfy kicks is just as wearable—with a slightly more edgy feel.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 5 July 2026
Definition of tend

Browse Nearby Words

cultists
cultivate
cultivated
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Cite this Entry

“Cultivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cultivate. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cultivate

Nglish: Translation of cultivate for Spanish Speakers

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