breeding ground

noun

1

: the place to which animals go to breed

2

: a place or set of circumstances suitable for or favorable to growth and development

hurricane breeding grounds

Synonyms

• center
• nursery
• nest
• capital

Examples of breeding ground in a Sentence

a breeding ground for seals

The Gulf of Mexico is a breeding ground for hurricanes.

The company's casual atmosphere serves as a breeding ground for innovation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Miller argues that universities are breeding grounds for ideological intolerance, laying blame on Marxist ideas. —Mitch Picasso , Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025

Silicon Valley has long been known as a hub for technological innovation, a breeding ground for the rise of tech’s biggest billionaires. —Senior Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025

College campuses are a breeding ground for innovation—including successes like Facebook, Snapchat, and Gatorade. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 21 Sep. 2025

Each winter, about 150 to 200 bald eagles descend on this region, flying as much as 900 miles from their breeding grounds, to catch fish in the unfrozen waterways. —Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 16 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for breeding ground

• aboveground
• battleground
• belowground
• paperbound
• turnaround
• ultrasound
• underground
• wraparound
• abound
• aground
• around
• astound

Kids Definition

breeding ground

noun

1

: the place where animals go to breed

2

: a place or situation that helps or allows something to grow or develop

an expanse of warm ocean that is a breeding ground for hurricanes