Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

Thesaurus

breed

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of breed

a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common
  • People like them are a rare breed.
Synonyms of breed

class, description, feather, genre, ilk, kind, like, manner, nature, order, sort, species, strain, stripe, type, variety
Words Related to breed

model

sample, specimen

bracket, bunch, category, division, family, grade, group, grouping, lot, persuasion, rank(s), set, suite

breed

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of breed

1 to bring forth offspring
  • Rabbits will breed very frequently unless they're kept separated.
Synonyms of breed

multiply, procreate, propagate, reproduce
Words Related to breed

bear, beget, engender, gender, generate, get, have, mother, parent, produce, sire

hatch, spawn
2 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 of breed

bring up, foster, nourish, nurse, raise, rear
Words Related to breed

father, mother

attend, care (for), cradle, cultivate, mind, minister (to), nurture, watch

discipline, educate, instruct, mentor, school, teach, train, tutor

edify, enlighten, indoctrinate

feed, provide (for), supply

advance, forward, further, promote

prepare

direct, guide, lead, shepherd, show
Near Antonyms of breed

abuse, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, mishandle, mistreat

ignore, neglect

harm, hurt, injure
3 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 of breed

beget, bring, bring about, bring on, catalyze, cause, create, do, draw on, effect, effectuate, engender, generate, induce, invoke, make, occasion, produce, prompt, result (in), spawn, translate (into), work, yield
Words Related to breed

conduce (to), contribute (to)

decide, determine

begin, establish, father, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, set, set up, start

advance, cultivate, develop, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote

enact, render, turn out
Phrases Synonymous with breed

bring forth, give rise to
Near Antonyms of breed

impede, limit, restrict

clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, dampen, put down, quash, quell, repress, smother, squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress

arrest, check, control, curb, inhibit, rein (in), restrain, retard

abolish, demolish, destroy, extinguish, liquidate, quench
4 to engage in sexual intercourse
  • Sheep usually breed in the fall.
Synonyms of breed

copulate, mate, sleep
Words Related to breed

fool around, fornicate
5 to set permanently in the consciousness or mind-set
  • parents who breed in their children a deep respect for people of all classes
Synonyms of breed

enroot, implant, inculcate, infix, inseminate, instill, plant, sow
Words Related to breed

drive, hammer, pound

embed (also imbed), entrench (also intrench), fix, lodge, root

imbue, infuse, ingrain (also engrain), inoculate, invest, steep, suffuse

Learn More about breed

  1. See words that rhyme with breed Dictionary: Definition of breed Medical Dictionary: Definition of breed Spanish Central: Translation of breed Nglish: Translation of breed for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of breed for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about breed

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up breed? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games