Illustration of thoroughbred
- Thoroughbred
thor·ough·bred
ˈthər-ə-ˌbred 
ˈthə-rə-
1
: bred from the best blood through a long line : purebred
thoroughbred dogs
2
a
Thoroughbred
: of, relating to, or being a Thoroughbred horse
b
: having characteristics resembling those of a Thoroughbred
3
: thoroughly trained or skilled
a thoroughbred soldier
1
: a purebred or pedigreed animal
2
Thoroughbred
: any of an English breed of light speedy horses kept chiefly for racing that originated from crosses between English mares of uncertain ancestry and Arabian stallions
3
: a thoroughly educated or skilled person
Synonyms of thoroughbred
Examples of thoroughbred in a Sentence
Adjective
a thoroughbred dog
Recent Examples on the Web
Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
The 18th triple dead heat in modern thoroughbred history takes place in the ninth race at Arlington International Racecourse.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
This day in sports history 1946 — Two-year-old fillies Chakoora and Uleta become the first thoroughbreds to complete a transcontinental flight.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for thoroughbred
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.
Adjective
The bankruptcy filing in February delayed the start of the thoroughbred season from March until April.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
The 18th triple dead heat in modern thoroughbred history takes place in the ninth race at Arlington International Racecourse.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
Noun
The backstory Cashel Palace’s owners, the Magnier family, built their fortune breeding thoroughbreds, including Epsom Derby-winning Galileo, at the nearby Coolmore Stud.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
This day in sports history 1946 — Two-year-old fillies Chakoora and Uleta become the first thoroughbreds to complete a transcontinental flight.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for thoroughbred
Cite this Entry
“Thoroughbred.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thoroughbred. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thoroughbred
1 of 2 adjective
thor·ough·bred
ˈthər-ə-ˌbred
ˈthə-rə-
1
: bred from the best stock through a long line : purebred
thoroughbred dogs
2
capitalized
: of, relating to, or being a Thoroughbred horse
thoroughbred
2 of 2 noun1
: a purebred or pedigreed animal
2
capitalized
: any of an English breed of light speedy horses kept chiefly for racing
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
