HEREDITY Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

heredity

noun

Definition of heredity

as in blood

formal the natural process by which physical and mental qualities are passed from a parent to a child Heredity plays no part in the disease.

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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 heredity To truly understand genes and heredity, researchers had to learn to read the DNA code. — Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 7 Nov. 2025 In short, heredity advancement driven by desire. — D. Scott Schmid, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025 For people who are profoundly deaf, there is an interruption of the sound signal to the auditory nerve, which can be caused by illness, trauma, or heredity. — IEEE Spectrum, 27 Jan. 2022 The institution of the caliphate, now based on the twin principles of force and heredity, was further degraded from the middle of the tenth century with the rise of Turko-Persian military fiefdoms. — Mohammed Ayoob, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2016 See All Example Sentences for heredity

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heredity

Noun

The American Red Cross has declared an emergency blood shortage after the supply fell 25% in June.

— Mary Ella Hastings July 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
Butlers are kicked in the shins and told their children are ugly; a patriarch’s idiotic military decisions are venerated for their spirit; blood spilling out of a servant’s wound is more an issue for the rug.

— Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

Definition of blood

Noun

The case was built by forensic genetic genealogy, which is the same science that traced DNA family trees to find the Golden State Killer in California and help solve the Yogurt Shop Murders in Austin, Texas.

— Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2026
Othram, based in The Woodlands, Texas, specializes in advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy, a method that can help investigators identify suspects or unknown victims when traditional law enforcement databases do not produce a match.

— Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of genealogy

Noun

Late last year, MLS created the succession committee, chaired by LAFC co-owner Bennett Rosenthal and Columbus Crew owner Jimmy Haslam, which retained The Miles Group (TMG) to help advise on the process.

— Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 17 July 2026
In this high-stakes setting, the kingdom’s royal family has been plagued by a 30-year curse that targets the line of succession.

— Kayti Burt, Time, 17 July 2026

Definition of succession

Noun

To mitigate those losses, scientists are developing a wide range of tools—combining advances in genetics, breeding, and crop physiology—to make agriculture more resilient to climate risks.

— Derek Norman, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Keeping your lawn and garden well-maintained can also help reduce grasshopper populations by destroying their breeding habitat.

— The Spruce, The Spruce, 21 July 2026

Definition of breeding

Noun

As El Mayo expanded his power – a fact that put him in the crosshairs of the United States, which offered a $15 million reward for his capture – many close relatives were arrested and extradited to US territory.

— Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
All user data is kept confidential to that individual, though users can opt in to sharing it with others—like older folks who want to share it with their relatives or doctors to keep track of their health together.

— Alexandra York, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of relatives

Noun

Mixed-ancestry people (called Métis in Canada) who were not bound to reservations, in particular, roamed far and wide collecting bones and came to dominate the trade.

— Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 20 July 2026
The nomadic ancestry of the Plains Tribes carries on today through powwows.

— Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of ancestry

Noun

Knappman, who lives in California, coordinated with his sister in Louisiana and a pair of cousins from Maine and North Carolina to purchase a new headstone engraved with Horan’s name and the dates of her birth and death.

— John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026
Japanese women are legally entitled to claim around 14 weeks of maternity leave and are typically paid about two-thirds of their wages and a birth bonus, though some government workers receive better terms.

— Reuters, NBC news, 20 July 2026

Definition of birth

Noun

The Lee family is mourning Yip Pik Yi, 65; Lee Chun Man, 44; Yan Yan, 15 months; and Erawati, 34, a domestic worker from Indonesia.

— New York Times, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Every day, Cord Shiflet drives 200 miles round trip from Austin, helping survivors tell their stories, connecting them with resources and raising more than $50,000 for affected families through Facebook.

— Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Definition of family

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heredities

heredity

hereinbelow

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“Heredity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heredity. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of heredity

noun

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