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
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 bred
But unlike their relatives, SunPatiens were bred to grow in full sun and hot temperatures.
—
Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 12 May 2026
Lots of that will be the confidence bred by McLaren’s success in 2024 and 2025.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 12 May 2026
It was bred for minimal seed production.
—Sarah Everett, The Spruce, 11 May 2026
Activists accused the facility of mistreating the dogs that were being bred for laboratory testing.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Finally, seedless types are bred specifically for flesh firmness.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
These days they have been exported to zoos in many countries, have been bred in captivity, and have been the subject of much field and captive research.
—Craig Stanford, Big Think, 7 May 2026
First bred in Canada and known as a fine water rescue dog, these gentle giants are supremely kind to everyone and display a benevolent, protective nature.
—Aditya Simha, The Conversation, 7 May 2026
The turtles were allegedly falsely labeled as captive-bred in order to obtain export permits.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 May 2026
Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 12 May 2026
Lots of that will be the confidence bred by McLaren’s success in 2024 and 2025.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 12 May 2026
It was bred for minimal seed production.
—Sarah Everett, The Spruce, 11 May 2026
Activists accused the facility of mistreating the dogs that were being bred for laboratory testing.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Finally, seedless types are bred specifically for flesh firmness.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
These days they have been exported to zoos in many countries, have been bred in captivity, and have been the subject of much field and captive research.
—Craig Stanford, Big Think, 7 May 2026
First bred in Canada and known as a fine water rescue dog, these gentle giants are supremely kind to everyone and display a benevolent, protective nature.
—Aditya Simha, The Conversation, 7 May 2026
The turtles were allegedly falsely labeled as captive-bred in order to obtain export permits.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bred
Verb
-
Singh and his team have propagated more than 10,000 native plants, replacing ornamental imports with species that belong here.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
Agapanthus Ever White™ Agapanthus is patent-protected and cannot be propagated.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Any Avs postseason game refereed by Kelly Sutherland automatically starts with one eyebrow raised.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
10 May 2026
-
Uhrman, who raised two children while building a successful career as a media and entertainment executive, speaks from experience.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Benson created scoring chances throughout the game and finished with a goal and an assist.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Friday night’s fans may have inadvertently created a new tradition.—
Warren Mayes,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
My wife’s tiny 200-square-foot apartment was full of cousins and a sports reporter who slept on the hallway floor.—
Kailyn Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
Neither had slept, and Jarrett was wearing a brace due to persistent back pain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, a grove of redwood trees (planted by the property’s former owner, Martha Stewart) gives the grounds a sense of grandeur.—
Elise Taylor,
Vogue,
14 May 2026
-
Sadly, Maui Gold is now the last pineapple farm standing on the island, down to 750 acres (300 of them planted), with just 20 people working the farm.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
This article originally appeared in Spektrum der Wissenschaft and was reproduced with permission.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
12 May 2026
-
Each piece was molded and reproduced using carbon-fiber resin infusion, a process more commonly seen in aerospace manufacturing.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
White and her husband have fostered two boys.—
Madeline Montgomery,
CBS News,
7 May 2026
-
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection also has a long-running fellowship program that has fostered talents like Nicholas Cullinan and Thomas Campbell.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Lei Ying Lee, Xia Brookside rivalry heats up Lei Ying Lee brought the TNA Knockouts Championship back home last week with a win over Arianna Grace.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
During my lifetime there have been 55 years in which my country has engaged in prolonged and endless conflicts or wars, few of which have brought a decisive victory.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bred. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
