Illustration of thoroughbred
- Thoroughbred
thor·ough·bred
ˈthər-ə-ˌbred 
ˈthə-rə-
1
: bred from the best blood through a long line : purebred
thoroughbred dogs
2
a
capitalized
: of, relating to, or being a Thoroughbred horse
b
: having characteristics resembling those of a Thoroughbred
3
: thoroughly trained or skilled
a thoroughbred soldier
1
: a purebred or pedigreed animal
2
capitalized
: any of an English breed of light speedy horses kept chiefly for racing that originated from crosses between English mares of uncertain ancestry and Arabian stallions
3
: a thoroughly educated or skilled person
Examples of thoroughbred in a Sentence
Adjective
a thoroughbred dog
Recent Examples on the Web
The Know, Denver Post, 18 May 2025
Lexington, a thoroughbred stallion of the 1850s, was the greatest racer ever.
—The Know, Denver Post, 18 May 2025
Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty, though, isn’t one of those thoroughbreds, with trainer Bill Mott skipping the Baltimore race in favor of additional rest time ahead of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in New York on June 7.
—Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for thoroughbred
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Adjective
Brooks uses the horse’s history to illuminate the Black grooms and trainers who laid the track for thoroughbred racing in America.
—The Know, Denver Post, 18 May 2025
Lexington, a thoroughbred stallion of the 1850s, was the greatest racer ever.
—The Know, Denver Post, 18 May 2025
Noun
The 13-year-old off-the-track thoroughbred began to collapse from sleep deprivation in February, prompting her to document his condition and share his progress over a three-month journey of rehabilitation.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty, though, isn’t one of those thoroughbreds, with trainer Bill Mott skipping the Baltimore race in favor of additional rest time ahead of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in New York on June 7.
—Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for thoroughbred
Cite this Entry
“Thoroughbred.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thoroughbred. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thoroughbred
1 of 2 adjective
thor·ough·bred
ˈthər-ə-ˌbred
ˈthə-rə-
1
: bred from the best stock through a long line : purebred
thoroughbred dogs
2
capitalized
: of, relating to, or being a Thoroughbred horse
thoroughbred
2 of 2 noun1
: a purebred or pedigreed animal
2
capitalized
: any of an English breed of light speedy horses kept chiefly for racing
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