Meaning & use
propagating
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“propagating” is a form of “propagate”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitivebiology
Producing new plants or animals from existing ones, for example from seeds, cuttings or breeding.
Grammar: Takes an object or stands alone: propagating roses; the plants are propagating well.
Patterns
- propagating something from something
She spent the weekend propagating herbs from cuttings.
Farmers are propagating a new variety of apple.
The orchids are propagating in the greenhouse.
verbtransitiveformal
Spreading ideas, beliefs or information widely among many people.
Grammar: Takes an object: propagating a rumor.
Patterns
- propagating something among someone
- propagating something through something
The group was accused of propagating false claims online.
Teachers are responsible for propagating knowledge.
He spent his life propagating his political views.
verbintransitivephysicstechnical
Traveling through a medium, as light, sound or waves do.
Grammar: No object: sound is propagating through the air.
Patterns
- propagating through something
Sound waves are propagating through the water.
The signal keeps propagating along the cable.
The crack was propagating across the glass.
Word forms
| base form | propagate |
|---|---|
| third person singular | propagates |
| past tense | propagated |
Common combinations
- propagating plants
- Propagating plants from cuttings costs almost nothing.
- propagating rumors
- Propagating rumors can damage reputations.
- propagating a species
- Zoos work hard on propagating endangered species.
- propagating through the air
- Sound is propagating through the air at that speed.
- propagating misinformation
- They were accused of propagating misinformation.
Synonyms and how they differ
- spreading
- Spreading is the plain everyday word, while propagating sounds more formal or scientific.
- multiplying
- Multiplying focuses on increasing numbers, but propagating also covers deliberate raising of plants and spreading of ideas.
- disseminating
- Disseminating is used mainly for information and sounds more official than propagating.
- breeding
- Breeding applies to animals and plants only, unlike propagating, which can also mean spreading ideas.
Opposites
Word family
- propagate verb
- the base verb
- propagation noun
- the act of spreading or producing offspring
- propagator noun
- a person or device that propagates plants
- propaganda noun
- information used to push a point of view
Commonly confused: propagating or propagandizing? propagating or promulgating?
propagating vs propagandizing
Propagandizing means spreading biased political messages, which is narrower and more negative than propagating.
propagating vs promulgating
Promulgating means officially announcing a law or decision, not spreading plants or waves.
Practice
Which sentence uses propagating in its gardening sense?
Choose one answer.
Propagating plants from cuttings is the biological sense. The other sentences use objects that cannot be propagated.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “propagating”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.