BREED Synonyms: 210 Similar and Opposite Words

breed 1 of 2

noun

Definition of breed

as in type

a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common some people say that honest politicians are a rare breed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

breed

2 of 2

verb

ˈbrēd

as in to reproduce

to bring forth offspring rabbits will breed very frequently unless they're kept separated

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to raise

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

as in to cause

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

as in to sleep

to engage in sexual intercourse cats breeding outside our window made a horrible racket last night

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to plant

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 breed

Noun

There were competitors from Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, Germany, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, the United States and Britain — the country most closely associated with the breed, famously a favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 Two years ago, the board of directors approved rules and regulations regarding allowed dog breeds and imposing dog weight limits. — Howard Dakoff, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026

Verb

After missing all of 2025 with an injury, this Argentinian-bred has not hit the board in three starts this year. — Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 Beagles being transported from Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin facility that bred dogs for biomedical research. — Adam Yamaguchi, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for breed

Recent Examples of Synonyms for breed

Noun

Zingara Vintage is the place for beachy finds; owner Erin Silver also turns vintage YSL and Pendleton towels into one-of-a-kind pieces.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
As of late last year, nearly three-quarters of the more than 70,000 people held in ICE detention — itself a record — had no criminal conviction of any kind.

— Arlene Marcus, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of kind

Verb

What survived was not the work that could be reproduced by a machine.

— David Woodard, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Shopping with friends, asking an employee for guidance, or seeing how others interact with a product can influence a decision in ways that are difficult to reproduce on a screen.

— Connie Etemadi, Freep.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of reproduce

Verb

Residents in some of those markets continue to raise concerns about drone noise and privacy and how those issues could hurt property values.

— Annie Palmer, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Notably, Schwartzel was one of the few candidates in the race who was actually born and raised in the state.

— Adisa Hargett-Robinson, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of raise

Verb

Uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again has roiled markets, causing oil prices to rise and pushing up Treasury yields due to worries over inflation.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Samuel Eto’o, who recently told CNN Sports in an exclusive interview that Infantino hasn’t done anything wrong and actually called for the controversial plan that caused this tumultuous situation to be revisited.

— Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of cause

Verb

Los Angeles City Council members on Tuesday approved a resolution to remove 12 anti-camping zones around Hollywood, ending a years-long ban that prevented people from sitting, sleeping or camping in certain areas.

— Brittney Ermon, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Thousands of people across the island slept outdoors, fearing aftershocks.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of sleep

Verb

By allowing wings like Kayla Thornton, Salaun and Kaila Charles to plant themselves on the baseline right outside of the paint, the driving lanes that Chicago enjoyed early were suddenly closed up.

— Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
Everyone has their own terrace, prettily planted with bougainvillaea and hibiscus, with a barbecue, sun beds, and hot tub or swimming pool.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of plant

Noun

The report found that male hosts dominate every genre except True Crime, where women slightly edge out men (53% to 47%).

— Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Fatima Hayward of Blue Finch Films called Zevenbergen a genuine new voice in genre filmmaking, saying his blend of body horror and campy Nickelodeon-style nostalgia has resulted in a gruesome yet heartfelt ode to cinema.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of genre

Verb

That same commitment to the organic quality of music informs the way Guy talks about and propagates the blues to this day.

— Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026
Social-media commentators have propagated conspiracy theories about the case, including a theory that Pat himself committed the killings.

— Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026