Meaning & use
cultivate
To prepare and use land for growing crops, or to develop and improve a skill, relationship, or quality over time.
See it in a sentence
Farmers cultivate the fields early each spring before the planting season begins.
She worked hard to cultivate strong relationships with clients over many years.
A note on using this word
Beyond its agricultural meaning, cultivate is very common figuratively for deliberately developing a skill, habit, image, or relationship over time.
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
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