incubate
verb (used with object)
to sit upon (eggs) for the purpose of hatching.
incubating
-
present participleof incubate.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
“I had a chalupa yesterday to celebrate taco Tuesday. It had lettuce on it. Do I now have Cyclospora parasite incubating in my body?” one commenter wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
“We are now taking the foundry part of what we had been incubating and creating that as a resource” for the U.S. government, he said.
From MarketWatch ● May 22, 2026
Both pairs have since rebuilt their nests in slightly higher locations and are incubating fresh clutches of eggs.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026
Curiously, DDT did not kill the birds outright, but rather caused their eggshells to collapse under the weight of the incubating adults.
From Slate ● Feb. 21, 2026
He’d traveled around the Midwest on a summer rec-league team that featured an incubating superstar named Isaiah Thomas, who would later go on to a Hall of Fame career in the NBA.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
