1
as in propagated
to bring forth offspring
rabbits will breed very frequently unless they're kept separated
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in raised
to bring to maturity through care and education
he was bred to a life in the military by his father, himself an army captain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in created
to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind)
this habit of favoring one employee over the others will breed resentment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in slept
to engage in sexual intercourse
cats breeding outside our window made a horrible racket last night
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in planted
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
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Recent Examples of bred
Certain dwarf apple varieties, such as 'Urban Apple' and 'Columnar' are bred explicitly for small-space gardening.
—
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
Both are owned by D J Stable LLC, Kentucky-bred French Friction selling for $250,000 at the September 2024 yearling sale.
—Bob Wisener, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Retrievers, initially bred for hunting, enjoy hiking and playing fetch, says Joey Morris, animal behaviorist and dog trainer at OverWatch K9 Academy.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 9 Feb. 2026
Jalen Sundell and Grey Zabel are Super Bowl champions because they were bred by one of the best FCS programs in the country.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Leisure bred laziness; coddling meant spoiling.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Our selection, Stained Glass, is a very showy and weather-tolerant variety bred in England.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 7 Feb. 2026
Keep your eyes open, though also keep your distance, for the local deer that are being bred and reintroduced on the property.
—John Newton, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026
In addition to her scars and injuries across her body, Gertie bred at least once at a young age.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
Both are owned by D J Stable LLC, Kentucky-bred French Friction selling for $250,000 at the September 2024 yearling sale.
—Bob Wisener, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Retrievers, initially bred for hunting, enjoy hiking and playing fetch, says Joey Morris, animal behaviorist and dog trainer at OverWatch K9 Academy.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 9 Feb. 2026
Jalen Sundell and Grey Zabel are Super Bowl champions because they were bred by one of the best FCS programs in the country.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Leisure bred laziness; coddling meant spoiling.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Our selection, Stained Glass, is a very showy and weather-tolerant variety bred in England.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 7 Feb. 2026
Keep your eyes open, though also keep your distance, for the local deer that are being bred and reintroduced on the property.
—John Newton, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026
In addition to her scars and injuries across her body, Gertie bred at least once at a young age.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bred
Verb
-
African violets can be easily propagated in both soil and water using healthy stem and leaf cuttings.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Feb. 2026
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Using her background in cellular biology, Gueble propagated cell cultures that mirrored cancerous cells lacking MGMT and MMR.—
Isabella Backman,
Hartford Courant,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Additionally, hyperscalers, including Amazon , Microsoft , Meta , and Alphabet , announced capital expenditure of up to $700 billion on AI this year, which has raised concerns over returns and whether the extent of AI spend is justified.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Videos from the killing of Renee Good, a mother of three, in her vehicle, raised questions about the federal agent’s tactics and decision to use deadly force.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Game and Fish Commission created the structures from hundreds of invasive red cedars cut from Lake Ouachita's shoreline.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For this story, our editors and contributors tested their luxury pillows in their own homes for at least a month (our minimum testing time frame), but most of them have been slept on for nearly six months to get a true gauge of how these models hold up over time.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Santos attacked Kok last, as the elderly man slept nearby on Doyers St.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One of the largest groups, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, has planted about 10,000 of its 15,000-tree quota, said Andrew Ferris, senior coordinator for their native plants program.—
Melina Walling,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Make sure succulents are planted in well-draining soil to keep them from rotting.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on February 13,, 2026.—
Max Kozlov,
Scientific American,
17 Feb. 2026
-
No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Aja Kearney Kearney’s interest in public service was fostered from a young age.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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The presence of global automakers has also fostered export growth, with vehicles and parts shipped worldwide from Southeastern ports.—
Brian Moody,
AJC.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This week has been a little different, with Arsenal’s game at Wolves brought forward to Wednesday night to avoid a clash with next month’s Carabao Cup final.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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On Thursday, Mexican officials said there is currently no indication that the 84-year-old was brought into Mexico.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bred. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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