1
: the young of an animal or a family of young
especially
: the young (as of a bird or insect) hatched or cared for at one time
a hen with her brood of chicks
2
: a group having a common nature or origin
the entire brood of chronicle plays—
T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot3
: the children of a family
takes their brood to church every Sunday
: kept for breeding (see breed entry 1 sense 3)
a brood flock
brooded; brooding; broods
2
of a bird
: to cover (young) with the wings
3
: to think anxiously or gloomily about : ponder
I used to brood these things on my walk—Christopher Morley
Christopher Morley1
a
of a bird
: to brood eggs or young
b
: to sit quietly and thoughtfully : meditate
3
a
: to dwell gloomily on a subject
brooded over his mistake
b
: to be in a state of depression
sat brooding in her room
Did you know?
The Eggy History of Brood
One of the noun senses of brood that is often encountered today is "the children of a family" (as in "they showed up at the picnic with their whole brood"). This may seem as though it is unrelated to the most commonly used verb sense, which is "to think anxiously or gloomily about; ponder," but the two words come from the same source, the Old English brōd. The noun form of brood came first, and the verb, when it appeared in our language, was used to refer to the action of chickens sitting on their eggs. Eventually the verb began to be used in a figurative manner, and took on the "worriedly pondering" sense it has today.
Synonyms
Examples of brood in a Sentence
Noun
a hen and her brood of chicks
Mrs. Smith took her brood to church every Sunday.
Verb
He brooded over his mistake.
After the argument, she sat in her bedroom, brooding.
Recent Examples on the WebTaylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
But this spring, two broods of more than a trillion cicadas will make their debut above the soil across the Midwest and Southeast in an event that has not happened in more than two centuries.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
The winged insects are expected to appear across the Midwest and Southeast starting early May, in a double emergence of two different broods of periodical cicadas.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Research and mathematical modeling suggest that the length of these brood cycles could be attributed to predatory avoidance.
—The Courier-Journal, 10 Apr. 2024
This year will be the first time in 221 years that two types of cicadas -- brood XIX and XIII -- have risen from the ground at the same time, back when Thomas Jefferson was president, and it is not expected to happen again until 2244.
—Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 10 Apr. 2024
The broods will emerge peacefully, but Cooley said hundreds of trillions – or even quadrillions – of cicadas are expected.
—Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024
There was a flurry of activity lasting two days when a wren methodically cleaned out old feathers, droppings and dead insects, leaving behind a sparkling nest ready for the next brood, and likely the female was tucked inside during the latest cold, rainy and hailing night.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2024
Share [Findings] Climate change was expected to drive American lobsters to seek deeper waters, beavers to colonize new parts of Canada, and wolf spiders in the high Arctic to produce a second annual brood.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2013
Their home became a way station for traveling students, poets and artists, as well as for Mr. Barker’s already sizable brood, many of them grown with families of their own.
—New York Times, 19 May 2022
The Yankees’ ace didn’t brood that whole time, but didn’t forget about the Red Sox chasing him in the third inning of the American League Wild Card.
—Kristie Ackert, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2022
Biologists this week assigned the famed gray wolf OR-7 and his brood official pack status, the Associated Press reports.
—The Editors, Outside Online, 9 Jan. 2015
The most limiting factor for these stockings is acquiring brood stock.
—Matt Wyatt, San Antonio Express-News, 29 Apr. 2021
The department’s goal within the next few years is to create an army of brood fish from ShareLunker offspring.
—Dallas News, 10 Apr. 2021
Justin Hughes, upland gamebird habitat specialist for Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks in Region 7, said turkeys enjoyed good nesting and brood conditions across the region during 2020.
—Brian Lovett, Outdoor Life, 8 Jan. 2021
Though still being tabulated, this summer’s study suggests brood survival was favorable, at least in the northeast, Roy said.
—Star Tribune, 17 Sep. 2020
Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024
With a haunting soundtrack and precise, brooding cinematography, Argento creates a chillingly grimy atmosphere that pervades every frame.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2024
His sound so far has been uncharacteristically dark and brooding for Afrobeats.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2024
White chose another Four Seasons property for his sophomore season: Four Seasons San Domenico Palace in the hilltop town of Taormina, overlooking the Ionian Sea with brooding Mount Etna in the distance.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024
Both actors have played the show's leading man on the Regency era series, with Page kicking things off as the brooding Duke of Hastings in season one, opposite love interest Daphne Bridgerton (played by Phoebe Dynevor).
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 10 Mar. 2024
In the now-iconic scene, a brooding Darcy walks across the grounds of his Pemberley estate after a quick swim.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024
Adopting a new fandom also helped cement local pride and friendships, including a buddy who taught me to love baseball’s brooding pace.
—Steven Leckart, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024
Fans of Schitt's Creek will love seeing Noah Reid in his cowboy getup, and all Yellowstone fans can appreciate a brooding Josh Brolin playing a conflicted rancher trying to keep his family safe.
—Emily Blackwood, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024
Noun
Two different groups or broods of cicadas will emerge across multiple states this year in the first emergence of its kind in 221 years.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
But this spring, two broods of more than a trillion cicadas will make their debut above the soil across the Midwest and Southeast in an event that has not happened in more than two centuries.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
The winged insects are expected to appear across the Midwest and Southeast starting early May, in a double emergence of two different broods of periodical cicadas.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Research and mathematical modeling suggest that the length of these brood cycles could be attributed to predatory avoidance.
—The Courier-Journal, 10 Apr. 2024
This year will be the first time in 221 years that two types of cicadas -- brood XIX and XIII -- have risen from the ground at the same time, back when Thomas Jefferson was president, and it is not expected to happen again until 2244.
—Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 10 Apr. 2024
The broods will emerge peacefully, but Cooley said hundreds of trillions – or even quadrillions – of cicadas are expected.
—Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024
There was a flurry of activity lasting two days when a wren methodically cleaned out old feathers, droppings and dead insects, leaving behind a sparkling nest ready for the next brood, and likely the female was tucked inside during the latest cold, rainy and hailing night.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2024
Share [Findings] Climate change was expected to drive American lobsters to seek deeper waters, beavers to colonize new parts of Canada, and wolf spiders in the high Arctic to produce a second annual brood.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Adjective
First, coot parents allow brood reduction to happen, watching their chicks compete to the death.
—Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2013
Their home became a way station for traveling students, poets and artists, as well as for Mr. Barker’s already sizable brood, many of them grown with families of their own.
—New York Times, 19 May 2022
The Yankees’ ace didn’t brood that whole time, but didn’t forget about the Red Sox chasing him in the third inning of the American League Wild Card.
—Kristie Ackert, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2022
Biologists this week assigned the famed gray wolf OR-7 and his brood official pack status, the Associated Press reports.
—The Editors, Outside Online, 9 Jan. 2015
The most limiting factor for these stockings is acquiring brood stock.
—Matt Wyatt, San Antonio Express-News, 29 Apr. 2021
The department’s goal within the next few years is to create an army of brood fish from ShareLunker offspring.
—Dallas News, 10 Apr. 2021
Justin Hughes, upland gamebird habitat specialist for Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks in Region 7, said turkeys enjoyed good nesting and brood conditions across the region during 2020.
—Brian Lovett, Outdoor Life, 8 Jan. 2021
Though still being tabulated, this summer’s study suggests brood survival was favorable, at least in the northeast, Roy said.
—Star Tribune, 17 Sep. 2020
Verb
Every year since, Child has dropped a new Reacher mystery that finds the brooding introvert roaming the country and pitching in to investigate mysterious situations, usually pummeling bad guys along the way.
—Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024
With a haunting soundtrack and precise, brooding cinematography, Argento creates a chillingly grimy atmosphere that pervades every frame.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2024
His sound so far has been uncharacteristically dark and brooding for Afrobeats.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2024
White chose another Four Seasons property for his sophomore season: Four Seasons San Domenico Palace in the hilltop town of Taormina, overlooking the Ionian Sea with brooding Mount Etna in the distance.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024
Both actors have played the show's leading man on the Regency era series, with Page kicking things off as the brooding Duke of Hastings in season one, opposite love interest Daphne Bridgerton (played by Phoebe Dynevor).
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 10 Mar. 2024
In the now-iconic scene, a brooding Darcy walks across the grounds of his Pemberley estate after a quick swim.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024
Adopting a new fandom also helped cement local pride and friendships, including a buddy who taught me to love baseball’s brooding pace.
—Steven Leckart, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024
Fans of Schitt's Creek will love seeing Noah Reid in his cowboy getup, and all Yellowstone fans can appreciate a brooding Josh Brolin playing a conflicted rancher trying to keep his family safe.
—Emily Blackwood, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brood.' 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 brood
Cite this Entry
“Brood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brood. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
brood
1 of 3 noun
: a family of young animals or children
especially
: the young (as of a bird) hatched or cared for at one time
brood
2 of 3 verb1
: to sit on eggs in order to hatch them
2
: to cover young with the wings
3
: to think long and anxiously about something
brooded over his mistake
broodingly
adverb
-iŋ-lē
brood
3 of 3 adjective
: kept for breeding
a brood mare
a brood flock
Medical Definition
brood
1 of 2 noun
: the young of an animal or a family of young
especially
: the young (as of a bird or insect) hatched or cared for at one time
brood
2 of 2 transitive verb1
a
: to sit on or incubate (eggs)
b
: to produce by or as if by incubation
2
: to think anxiously or gloomily about
1
of a bird
: to brood eggs or young
2
a
: to dwell gloomily on a subject
b
: to be in a state of depression
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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