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
The team is currently incubating additional eggs, so more baby tegus may be on the way.
—
Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2024
Notably, the group will start and incubate new biotech companies, a model that VC firms have generally struggled to execute on, Squinto told STAT in 2022.
—Elaine Chen Reprints, STAT, 14 June 2024
Its core focus is on genre movies with budgets under $10 million, but the studio also will incubate bigger films, long form series, microbudget films and digital series along with various other opportunities in entertainment and media which support artistry, diversity, and equity.
—Valerie Complex, Deadline, 13 June 2024
These animal fathers, who all represent egg-laying species, help out by either incubating, protecting, or otherwise shepherding offspring out of a shell and into the wide-open world.
—Ben Guarino, Popular Science, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for incubate 
Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2024
Notably, the group will start and incubate new biotech companies, a model that VC firms have generally struggled to execute on, Squinto told STAT in 2022.
—Elaine Chen Reprints, STAT, 14 June 2024
Its core focus is on genre movies with budgets under $10 million, but the studio also will incubate bigger films, long form series, microbudget films and digital series along with various other opportunities in entertainment and media which support artistry, diversity, and equity.
—Valerie Complex, Deadline, 13 June 2024
These animal fathers, who all represent egg-laying species, help out by either incubating, protecting, or otherwise shepherding offspring out of a shell and into the wide-open world.
—Ben Guarino, Popular Science, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for incubate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'incubate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near incubate
Cite this Entry
“Incubate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incubate. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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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