ranch

1 of 2

noun

ˈranch 

1

: a large farm for raising horses, beef cattle, or sheep

2

: a farm or area devoted to a particular specialty

3

: ranch house

ranch

2 of 2

verb

ranched; ranching; ranches

intransitive verb

: to live or work on a ranch

transitive verb

1

: to work as a rancher on

2

: to raise on a ranch

Synonyms

Noun

• estate
• farm
• farmstead
• grange

Examples of ranch in a Sentence

Noun

lives on a cattle ranch in Texas that's as big as the whole state of Rhode Island

Verb

My grandfather started ranching here 150 years ago.

The family has ranched 10,000 acres here for the past 150 years.

The family has been ranching cattle here for 150 years.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The operation is massive: participants haul wagons and horses up to Nevada from all over California and coordinate nightly rest stops in shopping centers, ranches, even neighborhoods. —Tina Li, Sacbee.com, 7 June 2025

Blue Origin, the space company founded and owned by Jeff Bezos, launched six people to the edge of space Saturday, May 31, from Bezos' ranch in West Texas, CBS News reports. —Stephen Clark – Jun 6, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025

Verb

Four rural counties have declared states of emergency citing threats to ranching. —Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025

Bring out the cocktail glasses, try every recipe, and cheers—to ranch! —Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Mexican Spanish rancho small ranch, from Spanish, camp, hut & Spanish dialect, small farm, from Old Spanish ranchearse to take up quarters, from Middle French se ranger to take up a position, from ranger to set in a row — more at range

First Known Use

Noun

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1851, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Phrases Containing ranch

• dude ranch
• raised ranch
• ranch dressing
• ranch house

Rhymes for ranch

• blanch
• branch
• cranch
• stanch
• tranche
• avalanche

Kids Definition

ranch

1 of 2 noun

ˈranch 

1

: a place for the raising of livestock (as cattle, horses, or sheep) on range

2

: a farm devoted to a specific crop or kind of animal

a fruit ranch

a mink ranch

3

: ranch house sense 2

ranch

2 of 2 verb

: to live or work on a ranch