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

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
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.
Every year, the marine mammals migrate from their summer feeding grounds to their winter breeding grounds, with some populations traveling back and forth between Antarctica and Australia. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025 While buying has picked up a bit this year, the impact of the places that were breeding ground for up-and-coming comedy talent, such as Comedy Central, TBS, IFC, getting largely out of the original programming game continues to be felt. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2025 Extreme drought is causing breeding grounds, molting spots and migration stopover sites to vanish. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 7 Aug. 2025 Plastic bottles reused after opening – especially those left in warm environments – can also become a breeding ground for bacteria, including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus (staph infection), introduced from the mouth, hands or air. Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for breeding ground

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of breeding ground was in 1630

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Breeding ground.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breeding%20ground. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!