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
Thoroughbred
: 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
Thoroughbred
: 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
Synonyms of thoroughbred
Examples of thoroughbred in a Sentence
Adjective
a thoroughbred dog
Recent Examples on the Web
Adam Harrington, CBS News, 17 May 2026
They were joined by avid equestrienne Princess Anne, who congratulated the qualifiers for a thoroughbred riding event on scene.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026
Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 13 May 2026
The two-week turnaround from the Derby to the Preakness, which used to be commonplace, is considered a nonstarter for many trainers and owners given that most elite thoroughbreds now typically go a month or more between races.
—Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for thoroughbred
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.
Adjective
The racetrack hosted both thoroughbred and harness races over the years.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 17 May 2026
They were joined by avid equestrienne Princess Anne, who congratulated the qualifiers for a thoroughbred riding event on scene.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026
Noun
But the thoroughbred and his jockey Jose Ortiz will be sitting out this weekend’s Preakness Stakes to rest up for the Belmont Stakes on June 6.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 13 May 2026
The two-week turnaround from the Derby to the Preakness, which used to be commonplace, is considered a nonstarter for many trainers and owners given that most elite thoroughbreds now typically go a month or more between races.
—Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
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 May. 2026.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
