cultivate
verb
cul·ti·vate
ˈkəl-tə-ˌvāt 
cultivated; cultivating
1
: to prepare or prepare and use for the raising of crops
Some fields are cultivated while others lie fallow.
also
: to loosen or break up the soil about (growing plants)
2
a
: to foster the growth of
cultivate vegetables
cultivate coffee
b
: culture sense 2a
cultivate oysters for pearls
c
: to improve by labor, care, or study : refine
cultivate the mind
… cultivated a reputation as a hard-core wheeler-dealer …—
Kit Boss
Kit Boss4
: to seek the society of : make friends with
looking for influential people to cultivate as friends
Examples of cultivate in a Sentence
Prehistoric peoples settled the area and began to cultivate the land.
Some of the fields are cultivated while others lie fallow.
a plant that is cultivated for its fruit
They survived by cultivating vegetables and grain.
He has carefully cultivated his image.
She cultivated a taste for fine wines.
Recent Examples on the Web
It’s produced by the Fonseca family, cultivating agave in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, for five generations.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
Since its inception, cannabis creators have cultivated massive followings, only for their accounts to be taken away without notice.
—Lindsey Bartlett, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
Odell and Kimmerer discuss what a gift economy looks like: humans embracing responsibility, learning from healthy and biodiverse ecosystems, and cultivating mutually beneficial relationships that coevolve over time (versus relationships that extract and destroy).
—Longreads, 22 Nov. 2024
Wylde Flowers is about a witch who arrives in a new town and begins cultivating a coven.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cultivate 
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Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
Since its inception, cannabis creators have cultivated massive followings, only for their accounts to be taken away without notice.
—Lindsey Bartlett, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
Odell and Kimmerer discuss what a gift economy looks like: humans embracing responsibility, learning from healthy and biodiverse ecosystems, and cultivating mutually beneficial relationships that coevolve over time (versus relationships that extract and destroy).
—Longreads, 22 Nov. 2024
Wylde Flowers is about a witch who arrives in a new town and begins cultivating a coven.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cultivate
Dictionary Entries Near cultivate
Cite this Entry
“Cultivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cultivate. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cultivate
verb
cul·ti·vate
ˈkəl-tə-ˌvāt
cultivated; cultivating
1
a
: to prepare land for the raising of crops
b
: to loosen or break up the soil around (growing plants)
2
a
: to raise or assist the growth of by tilling or by labor and care
cultivate vegetables
cultivate oysters
b
3
: to improve or develop by careful attention, training, or study : devote time and thought to
cultivate one's mind
cultivate the arts
4
: to seek the company and friendship of
Medical Definition
cultivate
transitive verb
cul·ti·vate
ˈkəl-tə-ˌvāt
cultivated; cultivating
: culture sense 1
viruses cultivated in brain tissue
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