cultivate

12 synonyms and 5 antonyms for cultivate, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To prepare and use land for growing crops.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

work school train crop foster

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

educate tame

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

civilize civilise naturalize naturalise domesticate

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To prepare and use land for growing crops.

“The family has cultivated this land for three generations.”

work school train crop educate tame civilize civilise naturalize naturalise domesticate foster

Opposites

abandon neglect desert

2. verb

To develop or improve a skill, relationship, or quality over time.

“She worked hard to cultivate good relationships with her clients.”

Opposites

discourage stifle neglect

How to use cultivate

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

cultivate crops cultivate a relationship cultivate a skill

Etymology

From Medieval Latin cultivare ("to till"), from Latin cultus, from colere ("to till, tend, cultivate").

Full origin of cultivate →

Frequently asked questions

What does “cultivate” mean?

The word “cultivate” means to prepare and use land for growing crops. In plain terms, to grow crops on land, or more broadly, to nurture and develop something over time.

How do you pronounce “cultivate”?

“Cultivate” is pronounced KUHL-tih-vayt (/ˈkʌltɪveɪt/ in IPA).

How do you use “cultivate” in a sentence?

Here is “cultivate” used in a sentence: “The family has cultivated this land for three generations.”

What part of speech is “cultivate”?

“Cultivate” is a verb.

Where does the word “cultivate” come from?

The word “cultivate” comes from Medieval Latin. From Medieval Latin cultivare ("to till"), from Latin cultus, from colere ("to till, tend, cultivate").

Is “cultivate” a common word?

“Cultivate” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “cultivate” have?

“Cultivate” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to prepare and use land for growing crops.

People also searched

work school train desert foster crop abandon educate neglect discourage tame domesticate

Nearby words

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