INCUBATE Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

incubate

verb

ˈiŋ-kyə-ˌbāt

Definition of incubate

as in to spawn

to cover and warm eggs as the young inside develop the hen incubated her eggs for two weeks

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to promote

to help the growth or development of hopefully, these youthful visits to the museum will incubate an enduring love of art

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 incubate Finding people at high risk of incubating the Bundibugyo virus, also known as contact tracing, has proved difficult in Congo. — Constant Same Bagalwa, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026 Finding people at high risk of incubating the Bundibugyo virus — also known as contact tracing — has proved difficult in Congo. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 His attempt at an answer is a new platform called PopZao, a website and WeChat mini program that Black Lake has incubated for two years. — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026 But the contemporary prediction market movement was largely incubated by George Mason University professor Robin Hanson and San Diego businessman Charles Polk beginning in the ’90s. — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incubate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for incubate

Verb

In Albania, where anger over development in a nature preserve has spawned an antigovernment movement, protesters hurled Molotov cocktails.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 26 Oct. 2026
The group has also spawned multiple side projects, including 50FootWave and Lakuna.

— Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of spawn

Verb

Chater doesn’t disagree, particularly as promoting the album has prompted more conversations about the subject.

— Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 21 Oct. 2026
Abe Flores, deputy director of Create CA, a nonprofit advocacy group that promotes arts education for California students, said the challenges SCUSD cited were not unique to the district.

— Chaewon Chung Updated October 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of promote

Verb

Known for his figurative expressionist works, often using a cross-hatching technique to distort the human body, Chowdhury blended Western modern artistic currents with local Indian influences.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
As a youngster, the Disney Channel was constantly switched on at the family home, Adéla hatched a plan and a timeline.

— Lars Brandle, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of hatch

Verb

Also known as cattails or typha, the plants can be cultivated through paludiculture, the farming of wetland crops on rewetted land.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
It may be meant to teach posture or independence, invite play, cultivate an appreciation of craft, or eventually become an heirloom.

— Steven Weill, Architectural Digest, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of cultivate

Verb

Not to mention the loss of face this suspension would cause his father, who also worked for the Kuomintang and who’d laid his ministerial connections on the line to make his son’s American education possible.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
Children’s Mercy didn’t explicitly lay the blame on a failure to expand Medicaid or the expiration of premium tax credits in the One Big Beautiful Bill.

— Jack Harvel October 25, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of lay

Verb

If curious extraterrestrial visitors were to reconnoiter Earth, they might well be struck by a planet that nurtures such an inordinate number of chickens.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Thank you, Uncle Tim, for nurturing me in so many ways throughout my life.

— Sean McGowan, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2026