incubate
verb
in·cu·bate
ˈiŋ-kyə-ˌbāt 
ˈin-
incubated; incubating
1
a
: to sit on (eggs) so as to hatch by the warmth of the body
b
: to maintain (something, such as an embryo or a chemically active system) under conditions favorable for hatching, development, or reaction
2
: to cause or aid the development of
incubate an idea
Examples of incubate in a Sentence
The female bird incubates the eggs.
Researchers incubated the cells in the laboratory.
The cultures must incubate for five more days.
The virus will incubate in the body for several days before the patient experiences any symptoms.
Recent Examples on the Web
Half were incubated below 82.4 degrees Fahrenheit to produce males, and half were incubated above 85.1 degrees to produce females.
—
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
The new Staple store at 21 Mercer Street acts as a community hub, incubating culture for generations to come.
—Cassell Ferere, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
These were then incubated for between 100 and 194 days, then analyzed to see how much the bacteria had eaten.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 9 Feb. 2025
If the Beatles at Shea Stadium in ’65 was packed with shrieking teenage fans, the All Starrs at the Venetian incubated quite a different ambience about six decades later.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incubate
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Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
The new Staple store at 21 Mercer Street acts as a community hub, incubating culture for generations to come.
—Cassell Ferere, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
These were then incubated for between 100 and 194 days, then analyzed to see how much the bacteria had eaten.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 9 Feb. 2025
If the Beatles at Shea Stadium in ’65 was packed with shrieking teenage fans, the All Starrs at the Venetian incubated quite a different ambience about six decades later.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incubate
Cite this Entry
“Incubate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incubate. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incubate
verb
in·cu·bate
ˈiŋ-kyə-ˌbāt
ˈin-
incubated; incubating
1
: to sit on eggs to hatch them by warmth
2
: to maintain (as bacteria or a chemically active system) under conditions good for development or reaction
3
: to go through the process of incubation
Medical Definition
incubate
verb
in·cu·bate
ˈiŋ-kyə-ˌbāt, ˈin-
incubated; incubating
1
: to maintain (as eggs, embryos of animals, or bacteria) under prescribed and usually controlled conditions favorable for hatching or development especially in an incubator
2
: to maintain (a chemically active system) under controlled conditions for the development of a reaction
: to undergo incubation
the cultures incubated for five days
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