sprout
verb (used without object)
to begin to grow; shoot forth, as a plant from a seed.
were sprouting
-
past progressiveof sprout.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.
In the spring of 2023, as her wildflowers were sprouting, Massa called the office of Los Angeles Council District 1 and told them about her project.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2025
English language schools were sprouting up all over the capital like wild mushrooms.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2023
Office towers were sprouting like mushrooms to accommodate all the new employees being hired.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 26, 2022
He chose Elyria because a relative had said jobs were sprouting there like bolls on a cotton plant.
From New York Times ● Oct. 17, 2012
A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands.
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
