incubates

verb

present tense third-person singular of incubate
1
as in sits
to cover and warm eggs as the young inside develop the hen incubated her eggs for two weeks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in promotes
to help the growth or development of hopefully, these youthful visits to the museum will incubate an enduring love of art

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of incubates Echidnas, similar to the platypus, are monotremes, egg-laying mammals, and typically produce only one egg per breeding season, which incubates in the mother’s pouch, according to the San Diego Wildlife Alliance. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 16 July 2026 That person incubates the virus for five to seven days before becoming infectious to the next mosquito. — John Drake, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026 The Blue Sky group incubates new brands for the company behind Ashley Tisdale’s Being Frenshe. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 6 May 2026 The commission’s Saudi 100 Brands program, now in its fourth year, incubates more than 100 local labels annually. — Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026 While males participate in the nesting process by bringing food; only the female incubates the eggs. — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incubates
  1. sits
  2. promotes
  3. spawns
  4. cultivates
  5. lays
  6. encourages
  7. broods
  8. nurtures
Verb
  • The deeply pretty Georgian manor house, all honeyed Bath stone, sits at the end of an avenue of sky-high beech and lime trees, surrounded by exquisite gardens like a Jane Austen film set.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The proposal now sits with Congress, where lawmakers will have to decide whether to take it up.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of sits
Verb
  • The billboards feature a photo of Elhosseiny with the viral photo of Holmes in a black turtleneck that promotes Just Blood.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Quince syrup helps soothe sore throats, while jujube syrup promotes calmness.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of promotes
Verb
  • Molluscum is caused by a virus and spawns the pimple-like bumps.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But the software wrapped around it reinserts the objective on every turn, stores progress to a file, spawns subagents, retries on failure, and keeps going until a verifier says the task is done.
    — Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of spawns
Verb
  • In the sweeping farmlands near the Central Coast, a seed supplier that cultivates peppers, vegetables and fruit was hit with more than two dozen pesticide safety violations, some of them serious offenses that caused health or environmental hazards.
    — Robert J. Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Like all classic noirs, Frank cultivates a sweaty, visceral realism to the main character’s desire to have a better life at any cost.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of cultivates
Verb
  • The researchers say their experiment lays an important foundation for using such fields to investigate molecular chirality.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • But the archive also lays bar the less triumphant side of Nelson’s career.
    — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of lays
Verb
  • External consultants have helped redesign how the bank encourages people to disclose, simplifying the process and building trust that the information won’t be used against them.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Is there something unique about fraternities that encourages this kind of behavior?
    — Richard Hall, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of encourages
Verb
  • Set in the evening, the scene broods as an unknown figure, only identifiable by his terrible Lego haircut and furry boots, stomps toward the Stallion Saloon.
    — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 3 June 2026
  • Veteran model Eva Herzigova is pictured in a sculptural skirt suit, while Liu Wen broods in a puffy leather bomber jacket.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Definition of broods
Verb
  • Additionally, an irrigation system that uses recycled water nurtures the lush tropical landscape.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The magazine has turned into a global media brand, which aims to help kids become curious, creative, caring and confident through content that nurtures and develops kids.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of nurtures

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Cite this Entry

“Incubates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incubates. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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