How to Use originate in a Sentence

originate

verb
  • The sound seemed to originate from outside the room.
  • He did not originate the idea.
  • The book originated as a series of lectures.
  • The custom is believed to have originated in the western U.S.
  • The policy was originated by the previous administration.
  • These stories originated during earlier times.
  • Tax bills must originate in the House but the Senate didn’t want to wait to act.
    Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 11 June 2024
  • Where did this idea originate and is there any truth to it?
    Sarah Ewall-Wice, CBS News, 4 Oct. 2022
  • The term coleslaw originates from the Dutch word koosla (kool for cabbage and sla for salad).
    Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 12 May 2023
  • Some of this does begin to originate in the United States.
    CBS News, 6 July 2022
  • The top-10 Group 1 crypto exchanges by volume originate from across the world, with three from the U.S.
    Javier Paz, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022
  • The Lyrids originate from the comet Thatcher, which orbits the sun about every 415 years.
    Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Jan. 2023
  • It’s named after pearls, which are the oldest precious stone and the only one that originates in the sea.
    The Salt Lake Tribune, 27 July 2023
  • Tveit originated the lead male role in the stage production, which earned him a Tony Award in 2021.
    Kristen Tauer, WWD, 21 June 2024
  • Ebels, well known for its meats and jerky, originated in Falmouth and has been around since 1920.
    Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 29 Apr. 2023
  • And you'd be shocked to know that a whole lot of those companies originate in China.
    CBS News, 8 Mar. 2023
  • The event opened with a dabke performance, a folk dance that originated in the region.
    Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 25 Oct. 2023
  • The term was coined by journalist Daphne K. Lee years ago, and originates from the Chinese term 'bàofùxìng áoyè.
    Casey Clark, Parents, 12 Aug. 2024
  • But the hottest topic seemed to be one that didn’t originate in Washington at all.
    Maura Judkis, Washington Post, 30 Apr. 2023
  • The spell originated from a witch who turned swans into girls.
    Allegra Goodman, The New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2024
  • Both semis and the long head of the biceps femoris originate at the ischial tuberosity in the pelvis—and that’s important.
    David Otey, Men's Health, 30 Mar. 2023
  • While everything originates in the brain, this wasn’t a problem in her brain.
    Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2023
  • The Day of the Dead originates in Mexico and is a way to honor our friends and family who have passed away.
    Nadja Sayej, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
  • The track steeplechase, in all its puddled glory, likely originated from the horse event of the same name.
    Lizzy Briskin, SELF, 3 Aug. 2024
  • The question is why milk continues to originate time and again.
    Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 May 2024
  • The map below shows where reports in the U.S. have originated, dating back to 1993.
    USA Today, 30 Mar. 2023
  • Or it might be named after the town of Chester, England, about where this type of pie most likely originated.
    Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2023
  • All votes must originate from within the United States to be counted.
    Brenda Cain and Yadi Rodriguez - Cleveland.com, cleveland, 19 Aug. 2022
  • The final question was about his wife — Scarlett Johansson — asking the country where her last name originated.
    Liza Esquibias, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024
  • Believed to have originated in Germany, the legend of the Christmas spider tells a sweet story that inspired one of our favorite Christmas traditions.
    Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'originate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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