breeds 1 of 2

Definition of breedsnext
plural of breed

breeds

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of breed
1
as in reproduces
to bring forth offspring rabbits will breed very frequently unless they're kept separated

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
4
as in sleeps
to engage in sexual intercourse cats breeding outside our window made a horrible racket last night

Synonyms & Similar Words

5
as in plants
to set permanently in the consciousness or mind-set parents who breed in their children a deep respect for people of all classes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of breeds
Noun
The vocalizations of cats can be dependent on breeds. Joan Morris, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026 Some dog breeds are not permitted for that reason, including Great Danes, Irish setters and bloodhounds (a complete list can be found online). Nathan Diller, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026 The impossibility of keeping up breeds apathy and stymies opposition. Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026 The study identified substantial signs of inbreeding in today’s populations, caused by a sharp decline in numbers and arrival of Swiss and British dairy breeds over the last hundred years. Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 27 Feb. 2026 Attendees get first pick of rare, exotic and best egg-laying breeds. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026 Moorish horse breeds were crossed with native stock to create a sturdy and agile beast for managing cattle. Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026 Those include University of Minnesota breeds along with private breeds. Michael Johnson, Twin Cities, 23 Feb. 2026 That’s the environment Close breeds, and intends to carry on after this season. Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
Curiosity breeds knowledge, and knowledge breeds resilience. Dr. Deepika Chopra, Flow Space, 10 Mar. 2026 But success also breeds an inevitable power struggle. Hunter Ingram, Variety, 7 Mar. 2026 Spencer, a contractor and a farmer, also breeds turkeys with a gobbler named JerryBoy. Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026 Decaying material also breeds beneficial fungi that are the food source for insects and earthworms. Campbell Vaughn, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026 Clearly, success breeds success. Tim Reynolds, Twin Cities, 21 Feb. 2026 And neutrality breeds complacency. Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026 Profit breeds emulation, and if romance is back other filmmakers are likely to take it on. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026 The gold medal winner for best all-time flyer is the Hudsonian godwit, which breeds in southern Alaska and west-central Hudson Bay in Canada, near the Arctic tundra. Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breeds
Noun
  • The lunchtime crowd — high schoolers, blue-collar types, the elderly — waited patiently for their orders.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
  • For seasoned pickleball players, finding the best paddle for competitive play may require a series of trial-and-error attempts, but a little education about paddle types can also go a long way.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The nuance and presence that the Nova Elite's carbon fiber reproduces across the full frequency range are noticeably better than those of the Nova Pro Wireless, which already sounds great.
    Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The installation reproduces local KGB archives on Stalin and facsimiles of historical artifacts of the 1960s placed around an AR reconstruction of Buddha in Nirvana, a forty-three-foot-long, 1,600-year-old clay statue of a reclining Buddha excavated in Tajikistan in the late ’60s.
    Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Reflecting on the good stuff is a lovely practice that fosters happiness and optimism.
    David Sparrow, Parents, 10 Mar. 2026
  • This approach fosters an environment where compassion and professionalism remain closely linked.
    Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Now the molecule was DMT, which causes an extremely intense but relatively short trip.
    Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
  • The difference in strain causes the structures to naturally curl upward.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Kristin Barker lives on the North Side in a home that sleeps 14 people and she's also listed the property as a rental.
    John Shumway, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Poor sleep affects everyone Ninety-five percent of all caregivers agreed that good sleep is essential to overall family function, and nearly 80% said their own sleep suffers when their child sleeps poorly, the poll found.
    Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Silas quietly, succinctly and secretly plants a piece of information in his pocket, which has great value.
    Max Gao, IndieWire, 4 Mar. 2026
  • And while these plants welcome pollinators of all kinds, deer don't like to dine on them.
    Michelle Darrisaw, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • As in his previous books, Pollan employs a travelogue approach to exploring these topics, conversing with a bevy of experts, including neuroscientists, philosophers, and artists of various kinds.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Margarita fans will love this pie for fiestas of all kinds.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Separate Offshoots The aloe plant propagates itself by growing offshoots, known as pups.
    Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Jan. 2026
  • The nature of the American political system propagates scads of lawyers and poseurs who blather on endlessly, promising everything and delivering little.
    Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Breeds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breeds. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on breeds

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!

More from Merriam-Webster