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; swine

Example Sentences

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

In addition to its effort to reap intelligence, the campaign could aim to sow uneasiness within a Chinese military that has been reeling from purges of its leadership.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

This is a clever lie that the Coens made up to sow intrigue among viewers, which Joel Coen — who directed the film but co-wrote alongside Ethan Coen — admitted to in 2015.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

“Church, we must not fight hate with hate. We must continue to sow goodness, forgiveness, love. We serve a mighty God. And He will take care of us. He always does.”

From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson

Related Words

• grow
• propagate
• scatter