spawned; spawning; spawns
1
: to deposit or fertilize spawn
2
: to produce young especially in large numbers
1
a
: to produce or deposit (eggs)
—used of an aquatic animal
b
: to induce (fish) to spawn
c
: to plant with mushroom spawn
2
: bring forth, generate
the idea spawned controversy
spawner noun
Examples of spawn in a Sentence
Verb The health-food craze spawned a multimillion-dollar industry. the incident that spawned a generation of student protests a TV show that spawned a host of imitations Noun Pacific salmon return to Alaskan streams to deposit their spawn. sometimes I think those little brats are the spawn of Satan himself
Recent Examples on the Web
Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026 Summer-like temperatures will give way to chilly weather across the Northeast beginning on Monday as residents in the Midwest and Plains clean up after a spell of severe weather that spawned multiple tornadoes. —Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 19 Apr. 2026
Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2026 Salmon typically feed in the ocean for about three years and then return to their natal streams to spawn. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spawn
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The popularity of the treatment among veterans has spawned advocacy groups like Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, co-founded by Amber Capone seven years ago. —Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026 Summer-like temperatures will give way to chilly weather across the Northeast beginning on Monday as residents in the Midwest and Plains clean up after a spell of severe weather that spawned multiple tornadoes. —Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
In the pre-spawn especially, baitfish tend to push shallower in the water column in search of microinvertebrates to feed on, along with warmer water to call home. —Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2026 Salmon typically feed in the ocean for about three years and then return to their natal streams to spawn. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spawn
Cite this Entry
“Spawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/spawn. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spawn
1 of 2 verb
ˈspȯn 
ˈspän
1
: to deposit or fertilize eggs
fish swimming upstream to spawn
2
: to produce young especially in large numbers
3
spawner noun
spawn
2 of 2 noun
1
: the eggs of aquatic animals (as fishes or oysters) that lay many small eggs
2
: product sense 2, offspring
also : something produced in large quantities
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