Meaning & use
generate
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
To produce or create something, especially energy, money or results, through a process or system.
Grammar: Takes an object: generate electricity.
Patterns
- generate something from something
- generate something for someone
Wind turbines generate clean electricity.
The new store generated more revenue than expected.
The software generates a report every morning.
verbtransitive
To cause a feeling, reaction or discussion to appear.
Grammar: Often takes abstract nouns: generate interest, generate debate.
Patterns
- generate interest
- generate debate
The announcement generated great excitement.
The speech generated heated debate online.
His plan failed to generate any support.
verbtransitivetechnicalcomputing
In computing and mathematics, to produce data, numbers or text by following a rule or program.
Grammar: Used with output as the object: generate a password.
Patterns
- generate a password
- generate random numbers
The program generates a random password.
This function generates the first ten prime numbers.
The model can generate images from a short description.
Word forms
| third person singular | generates |
|---|---|
| past tense | generated |
| past participle | generated |
| -ing form | generating |
Common combinations
- generate electricity
- The dam generates electricity for the whole valley.
- generate revenue
- Ads help the site generate revenue.
- generate interest
- A good trailer can generate interest quickly.
- generate ideas
- The group met to generate ideas.
- generate heat
- Friction generates heat.
Synonyms and how they differ
- produce
- Produce is the general word, while generate suggests ongoing output from a system or machine.
- create
- Create suggests making something new and original, while generate is often mechanical or automatic.
- cause
- Cause focuses on making something happen, whereas generate adds the idea of it growing out of a process.
- yield
- Yield means to give a result or harvest, and is used with crops, money or findings.
Opposites
Word family
- generation noun
- the act of producing, or a group of people born at the same time
- generator noun
- a machine that produces electricity
- generative adjective
- able to produce or create
- regenerate verb
- to grow or produce again
Commonly confused: generate or generalize?
generate vs generalize
Generalize means to make a broad statement from limited examples. Generate means to produce something.
Practice
The solar panels on the roof ___ enough power for the whole school.
Choose one answer.
Generate means to produce, which fits power from panels. Generalize, regulate and inherit do not describe producing energy.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “generate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.