fertilize
verb
fer·til·ize
ˈfər-tə-ˌlīz 
fertilized; fertilizing
: to make fertile: such as
a
: to apply a fertilizer to
fertilize land
b
: to cause the fertilization of
Examples of fertilize in a Sentence
A single sperm fertilizes an egg.
Bees fertilize plants as they collect nectar from flowers.
He fertilizes the lawn every year.
The soil is so rich there is no need to fertilize.
Recent Examples on the Web
The female will then deposit her eggs onto the bed, and the male will fertilize them, both fish typically staying nearby until the eggs hatch.
—
Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2024
During the treatment, an egg is removed from a woman’s body and fertilized with sperm inside a laboratory before being implanted into a woman’s uterus in hopes of leading to pregnancy.
—Isabel Rosales, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024
Fertilizer When the flower buds begin to form in early spring, fertilize Easter lilies with fertilizer containing a high phosphorus content, such as a 5-10-5 formulation.
—Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Mar. 2024
Intrauterine devices, or IUDs, are a long-term, reversible form of birth control that lessens the ability of sperm to reach and fertilize an egg.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024
The procedure involves extracting eggs from ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm in a lab.
—Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024
Kent has been open about conceiving a second baby via intrauterine insemination (IUI) — a treatment where sperm is surgically placed in a uterus to fertilize an egg.
—Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
Some people saw the actual methods of fertilizing the egg outside the body as violating the sacred nature of the creation of life.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
But because only some of the eggs exposed to sperm will become fertilized, and not all of those embryos will be viable, doctors give patients hormones to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, and then fertilize them all.
—Andrea Kane, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024
Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2024
During the treatment, an egg is removed from a woman’s body and fertilized with sperm inside a laboratory before being implanted into a woman’s uterus in hopes of leading to pregnancy.
—Isabel Rosales, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024
Fertilizer When the flower buds begin to form in early spring, fertilize Easter lilies with fertilizer containing a high phosphorus content, such as a 5-10-5 formulation.
—Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Mar. 2024
Intrauterine devices, or IUDs, are a long-term, reversible form of birth control that lessens the ability of sperm to reach and fertilize an egg.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024
The procedure involves extracting eggs from ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm in a lab.
—Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024
Kent has been open about conceiving a second baby via intrauterine insemination (IUI) — a treatment where sperm is surgically placed in a uterus to fertilize an egg.
—Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
Some people saw the actual methods of fertilizing the egg outside the body as violating the sacred nature of the creation of life.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
But because only some of the eggs exposed to sperm will become fertilized, and not all of those embryos will be viable, doctors give patients hormones to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, and then fertilize them all.
—Andrea Kane, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fertilize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fertilize
Cite this Entry
“Fertilize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fertilize. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fertilize
verb
fer·til·ize
ˈfərt-ᵊl-ˌīz
fertilized; fertilizing
: to make fertile: as
a
: to cause the fertilization of
also
: to unite with in the process of fertilization
a sperm fertilizes an egg
b
: to apply a fertilizer to
fertilize land
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share