to seed

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive or intransitive

   To plant seeds in soil, or to produce seeds as a plant does.

   Grammar: Can take an object (seed a lawn) or be used without one (the grass has seeded).

   Patterns

   • seed something
   • seed with something

   We need to seed the back garden before the rain comes.

   The dandelions have already seeded all over the lawn.

2. 2verbtransitivesport

   To arrange players or teams in a competition so that the strongest do not meet early.

   Grammar: Often used in the passive: be seeded first, second, etc.

   Patterns

   • seed a player
   • be seeded first

   The organizers decided to seed the top eight players.

   She was seeded second at Wimbledon that year.

3. 3verbtransitivefigurative

   To start the growth or development of something.

   Grammar: Used figuratively, especially with 'doubt' or 'idea'.

   Patterns

   • seed doubt
   • seed an idea

   His remarks seeded doubt in everyone's mind.

   The project was designed to seed new businesses in the region.

Word forms

Common combinations

seed a lawn

They hired a company to seed the lawn.

seed a tournament

Officials seed the tournament to keep the best players apart.

be seeded first

The defending champion is seeded first.

seed doubt

The report seeded doubt about the company's future.

Synonyms and how they differ

plant

General word for putting seeds or plants in the ground; 'seed' is more specific to seeds.

sow

A more formal or agricultural word for scattering seeds; 'seed' is used in everyday speech.

Word family

seed noun

The small part of a plant from which a new plant grows.

seeding noun

The act of planting seeds or the arrangement of players in a tournament.

Commonly confused: to seed or cede?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “to seed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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