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 female often incubates the eggs, while the male usually secures the food.
—
Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 June 2024
The application from Lykos — a drug company incubated by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, or MAPS — arrived at the FDA under a cloud of controversy.
—Will Stone, NPR, 13 June 2024
Emperor penguins Another father bird that incubates eggs is Antarctica’s emperor penguins.
—Ben Guarino, Popular Science, 13 June 2024
The rise of the Internet, another technology incubated in the United States, put distant corners of the world in communication with one another.
—Diana Lemberg, Foreign Affairs, 18 Oct. 2019
See all Example Sentences for incubate 
Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 June 2024
The application from Lykos — a drug company incubated by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, or MAPS — arrived at the FDA under a cloud of controversy.
—Will Stone, NPR, 13 June 2024
Emperor penguins Another father bird that incubates eggs is Antarctica’s emperor penguins.
—Ben Guarino, Popular Science, 13 June 2024
The rise of the Internet, another technology incubated in the United States, put distant corners of the world in communication with one another.
—Diana Lemberg, Foreign Affairs, 18 Oct. 2019
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 15 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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