generate
Americanverb (used with object)
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generates,
present (3rd person singular)
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generated,
past participle, past
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generating
present participle
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to bring into existence; cause to be; produce.
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to create by a vital or natural process.
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to create and distribute vitally and profusely.
He generates ideas that we all should consider.
A good diplomat generates good will.
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to reproduce; procreate.
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to produce by a chemical process.
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Mathematics.
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to trace (a figure) by the motion of a point, straight line, or curve.
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to act as base for all the elements of a given set.
The number 2 generates the set 2, 4, 8, 16.
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Linguistics. to produce or specify (a grammatical sentence or other construction or set of constructions) by the application of a rule or set of rules in a generative grammar.
verb (used without object)
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generates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
generated,
past participle, past
-
generating
present participle
verb
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to produce or bring into being; create
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(also intr) to produce (electricity), esp in a power station
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to produce (a substance) by a chemical process
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maths linguistics to provide a precise criterion or specification for membership in (a set)
these rules will generate all the noun phrases in English
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geometry to trace or form by moving a point, line, or plane in a specific way
circular motion of a line generates a cylinder
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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pregenerateverb (used with object)
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intergeneratingadjective
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nongeneratingadjective
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ungeneratedadjective
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ungeneratingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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generatesimple
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generatessimple
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have generatedperfect
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has generatedperfect
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am generatingprogressive
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are generatingprogressive
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is generatingprogressive
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have been generatingperfect progressive
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has been generatingperfect progressive
Past
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generatedsimple
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had generatedperfect
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was generatingprogressive
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were generatingprogressive
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had been generatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of generate
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin generātus “begotten, produced,” past participle of generāre “to beget”; see genus
Explanation
Generate means produce or create. A good stock pick might generate cash, and a good idea might generate the basis for an Oscar-winning film. Generate and the closely related word generation both come from the Latin word genus, which means "stock or race." Its root, in turn, is the Proto-Indo-European gen-, "to produce, give birth, or beget." Let's say you have two siblings. In that case, your parents' marriage has generated three children. In a hydroelectric power plant, water generates power. And you can get a paper route or babysit if you're looking to generate a little income.
Vocabulary lists containing generate
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
This would generate only $2.3 trillion over a decade—about as much as this year’s deficits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Collisions between two oxygen nuclei generate a relatively rounded pattern, while collisions involving neon create a distinctive bowling-pin-shaped pattern.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
Ahmed says another reason the videos perform so well is the level of engagement they generate through likes, comments and shares.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
“Names were presented. ... What was demonstrated was the use of digital platforms, of social media, to amplify and generate false news.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
They generate tens of millions of dollars for the Osage, helping to fund their government, educational programs, and health-care benefits.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
Investor B is 78, built a nest egg they cannot afford to lose, and is living off the income it generates.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
The Cernavoda plant, which usually generates a fifth of Romania's electricity, has been shut down just once before, in 2003, due to drought.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
"The Sun generates all the heat and the Moon is blocking out the Sun," he explained.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
“It is very unfortunate that an entire industry, which generates millions of dollars in revenue for Mexico, has to be shut down,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
You cannot “see” this cube nor feel its edges—but it shares the one property that all physical objects must possess: it generates shadows.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Her posts promoting Swan Beauty during her bachelorette party generated exposure and new business for the company, said Colby Mitchell, its CEO and co-founder.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Under UK law, greenhouse gas emissions indirectly generated by a business -- known as Scope 3 or downstream emissions -- must be taken into account.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
The story generated even more attention after authorities released their findings.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Claire wears her cheerleader uniform in both scenes — the identifying outfit that generated the first season’s catchphrase, “Save the cheerleader, save the world.”
From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026
Most were poor and black, and they offered encouragement and support, and my visit with the family generated even more of those calls.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
That isn’t the same as generating a text from a single source.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
After buying it, she became part of the same cycle — generating more than 500,000 views across organic TikTok posts showcasing her Tags.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
What this technology is good at, reliably, is generating paperwork about children who’ve done nothing.
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
The connections responsible for generating the waves do more than transmit signals.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026
The So-Called Gym Teacher came up behind me before my second match while my opponent was staring at me across the mat generating aggression.
From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
