germinate
verb (used without object)
to begin to grow or develop.
was germinating
-
past progressiveof germinate.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
For years nothing came of the talk, but a similar idea was germinating within the county health department.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 27, 2022
We've seen so much that's wrong, but it was a minority position that was germinating.
From Salon ● May 30, 2022
But her long-term project was germinating in the street, where she collected the tires and treads that accumulated in the scruffy neighborhood, and in the experiments she made from them at home.
From New York Times ● May 7, 2021
For much of that time, a seed was germinating.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 17, 2019
There was nothing definite in her mind, but something was germinating within her, and when the work of the day was done, she wondered at the great tranquillity of the garden.
From Celibates by George (George Augustus) Moore
