germinate
verb (used without object)
to begin to grow or develop.
had been germinating
-
past perfect progressiveof germinate.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
While the idea had been germinating for decades, Ellis began working on “The Shards” in earnest during the early days of the pandemic, releasing it as a podcast before it eventually coalesced into novel form.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 12, 2023
“West Side Story” — about rival white and Puerto Rican gangs — had been germinating for years among playwright Arthur Laurents, director-choreographer Robbins, composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Sondheim.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 31, 2019
The idea for Fantasia had been germinating in Disney's mild-looking head for several years.
From Time Magazine Archive
Though Bentsen claimed that his J.F.K. line was spontaneous, it had been germinating for days.
From Time Magazine Archive
The seeds of lunacy, which had been germinating in his brain for a long time, had burst forth into a terrible harvest.
From The Boy Scouts for Uncle Sam by John Henry Goldfrap
