What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
propagate
Example
The gardener propagated the roses by taking cuttings from the mother plant. [propagated: past tense]
Example
The organization aims to propagate awareness about climate change. [propagate: verb]
spread
Example
The butter spread easily on the toast. [spread: verb]
Example
The virus has spread rapidly across the globe. [spread: past participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Spread is more commonly used than propagate in everyday language. Spread is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while propagate is less common and typically used in technical or specialized contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between propagate and spread?
Both propagate and spread can be used in formal and informal contexts, but propagate may be more associated with technical or scientific writing due to its specialized usage.
