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
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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:
As this electrically conducting liquid iron moves, it helps generate the planet's geomagnetic field.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
The transaction would generate approximately 576 million euros of gross proceeds attributable to Eurazeo’s balance sheet, it said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Of course, Sturgeon would be well aware of the headlines such comments would generate, and some have suggested she's simply attempting to garner more publicity.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Its original purpose was to generate revenue for the Revolutionary Armed Forces and bring in hard currency during the island's "Special Period," a profound crisis in the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
Nothing like total failure to generate great ideas.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
“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
Whatnot said that sellers who break only make up 4% of sellers on the platform but declined to provide numbers on how much revenue that subset generates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Because the source generates intense terahertz radiation that can be tuned to different frequencies, the researchers were able to change the material's optical properties, especially its reflectivity, both strongly and rapidly.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026
Viola Spolin, one of the great acting teachers of the 20th century, put it simply: “being part of the whole generates trust and frees the player for playing, the many then acting as one.”
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
Some musk which my system generates must be especially appealing to the authorities of the government.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
An online campaign that generated 11 million views from early July fuelled the surge, according to a report published by Chema Gil, a security and intelligence analyst at the University of Murcia.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
In its fiscal second quarter, Disney’s domestic parks and experiences division generated $6.9 billion, up 6% from a year earlier.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Taylor also is CEO of Flutter’s international division, which generated over $9 billion in annual revenue in 2025.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Tirzepatide generated $36.5 billion in revenue in 2025.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
By what impetus, or instruction, was the embryo, and the final organism, generated from sperm and egg?
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Its segment result—a closely watched profitability metric—rose to 797 million euros from 668 million euros, generating a 19.1% segment-result margin.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
It could also broaden Trabzonspor's commercial appeal across the Middle East, while generating particular interest among the Arab community in Trabzon and visitors to the city.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
That mismatch may be a warning sign, since massive AI capex could put downward pressure on valuations if investors think that the spending is consuming too much cash without generating enough returns.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
The interview, filmed in a Philadelphia studio dressed up to resemble a seedy motel in a wink at the laptop scandal, quickly became a viral sensation, generating millions of views.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
Behind her and above, over the lip of the ravine and in the full force of the wind, stood the generating station.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
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.
