incubate Synonyms
Another word for incubate
• verb (Context 1)
To sit on eggs in order to keep them warm and bring them to hatching, or to maintain eggs, embryos, or cell cultures under controlled environmental conditions favorable for development.
"Both the male and female penguins take turns to brood the single egg during the harsh winter."
• verb (Context 2)
To nurture, support, and develop an idea, project, or fledgling business slowly and carefully before it is fully realized or launched.
"The university's innovation hub helps nurture promising tech startups by providing mentorship and seed funding."
• verb (Context 3)
To harbor a pathogen or infectious disease in the body during the latent stage before clinical symptoms appear (or of a pathogen, to multiply and develop toward producing symptoms).
"A patient can harbor the virus for up to two weeks before showing any signs of illness."
Opposites of incubate
The opposite of incubate shifts depending on context. Common opposites include: