sow

¹ American  

[soh] / soʊ /

verb (used with object)

sowed, sown, sowed, sowing

1. to scatter (seed) over land, earth, etc., for growth; plant.

2. to plant seed for.

   to sow a crop.

3. to scatter seed over (land, earth, etc.) for the purpose of growth.

4. to implant, introduce, or promulgate; seek to propagate or extend; disseminate.

   to sow distrust or dissension.

   Synonyms:

   circulate, spread, propagate, inject

5. to strew or sprinkle with anything.

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verb (used without object)

sowed, sown, sowed, sowing

1. to sow seed, as for the production of a crop.

sow ² American  

[sou] / saʊ /

noun

1. an adult female swine.

2. the adult female of various other animals, as the bear.

3. Metallurgy.

   1. a large oblong mass of iron that has solidified in the common channel through which the molten metal flows to the smaller channels in which the pigs solidify.

   2. the common channel itself.

   3. a basin holding any of certain molten nonferrous metals to be cast.

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sow ¹ British  

/ saʊ /

noun

1. a female adult pig

2. the female of certain other animals, such as the mink

3. metallurgy

   1. the channels for leading molten metal to the moulds in casting pig iron

   2. iron that has solidified in these channels

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sow ² British  

/ səʊ /

verb

1. to scatter or place (seed, a crop, etc) in or on (a piece of ground, field, etc) so that it may grow

   to sow wheat

   to sow a strip of land

2. (tr) to implant or introduce

   to sow a doubt in someone's mind

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sow Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing sow

• can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

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Other Word Forms

• sowable
  adjective
• sower
  noun
• sowlike
  adjective
• unsowed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sow¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English sowen, Old English sāwan; cognate with Dutch zaaien, German säen, Old Norse sā, Gothic saian; akin to seed, Latin sēmen “seed”

Origin of sow²

First recorded before 900; Middle English soue, sou(we), Old English sugu, sū; cognate with German Sau, Old Norse sȳr, Latin sūs, Greek hûs, Tocharian B suwo; see swine

Explanation

When you plant seeds in the ground, you sow them. You can also sow things like doubts or ideas, simply by spreading them around. If your ideas (or your seeds) develop and grow, you've successfully sown them. The verb sow is pronounced completely differently from the noun sow, which means "a female pig." When you sow flower seeds, it rhymes with "go." When you admire an enormous, muddy sow in a pig pen, it rhymes with "cow." When two words are spelled the same but sound different, they're called heteronyms.

Example Sentences

"The main reasons for this are the slow pace of efforts to reshape our business structure from a medium- to long-term perspective, as well as to sow the seeds for future growth," he said.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

"If you sow doubt about your commitment every day, you drain it of its substance."

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Gen. Rob Bonta, who said it ‘sets a dangerous precedent and will only sow distrust in our elections.’

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

Drones that are more easily able to get through air defences often cause minimal damage but still sow chaos that disrupts trade and travel.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

Tyrion had not mastered half of Groat’s old tricks, but he could ride the sow, fall off when he was meant to, roll, and pop back onto his feet.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Related Words

• grow
• propagate
• scatter