1
as in propagated
to bring forth offspring
rabbits will breed very frequently unless they're kept separated
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in raised
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
3
as in created
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
4
as in slept
to engage in sexual intercourse
cats breeding outside our window made a horrible racket last night
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in planted
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
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Recent Examples of bred
Retrievers, initially bred for hunting, enjoy hiking and playing fetch, says Joey Morris, animal behaviorist and dog trainer at OverWatch K9 Academy.
—
Taylor Grothe, Parents, 9 Feb. 2026
Jalen Sundell and Grey Zabel are Super Bowl champions because they were bred by one of the best FCS programs in the country.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Leisure bred laziness; coddling meant spoiling.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Our selection, Stained Glass, is a very showy and weather-tolerant variety bred in England.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 7 Feb. 2026
Keep your eyes open, though also keep your distance, for the local deer that are being bred and reintroduced on the property.
—John Newton, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026
In addition to her scars and injuries across her body, Gertie bred at least once at a young age.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
When vegan eating becomes more mainstream, fewer animals will be bred for food, lessening the threat of a life-threatening outbreak and nationwide pandemic.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026
This activity is exactly what Mochi, an exuberant dog living in Montrose, was bred for.
—Aviva Bechky, Houston Chronicle, 30 Jan. 2026
Taylor Grothe, Parents, 9 Feb. 2026
Jalen Sundell and Grey Zabel are Super Bowl champions because they were bred by one of the best FCS programs in the country.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Leisure bred laziness; coddling meant spoiling.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Our selection, Stained Glass, is a very showy and weather-tolerant variety bred in England.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 7 Feb. 2026
Keep your eyes open, though also keep your distance, for the local deer that are being bred and reintroduced on the property.
—John Newton, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026
In addition to her scars and injuries across her body, Gertie bred at least once at a young age.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
When vegan eating becomes more mainstream, fewer animals will be bred for food, lessening the threat of a life-threatening outbreak and nationwide pandemic.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026
This activity is exactly what Mochi, an exuberant dog living in Montrose, was bred for.
—Aviva Bechky, Houston Chronicle, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bred
Verb
-
African violets can be easily propagated in both soil and water using healthy stem and leaf cuttings.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Using her background in cellular biology, Gueble propagated cell cultures that mirrored cancerous cells lacking MGMT and MMR.—
Isabella Backman,
Hartford Courant,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
With greater tempo and intensity from Liverpool after the interval, the decibel levels were raised inside Anfield and the players fed off that energy, knocking City off their stride.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Last time was Super Bowl LVI following the 2021 season, when the Rams raised the Lombardi Trophy in their home stadium after a 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Romero created trouble for himself by trying to turn on the ball with his backheel just outside the penalty area while under pressure from Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
See our gallery created by Courier Journal photographers Michael Clevenger and Scott Utterback.—
Stephanie Stremplewski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The monks slept under the trees and ate one meal per day.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The Turpins usually slept all day and were awake through the night.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
While much of the Yucatan peninsula is covered by rain forest, the landscape designers improved on nature here creating a jungle that is less scrubby than the real thing and instead planted with dramatic Mexican fan palms and other tropical trees that create a solid green wall.—
John Newton,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
-
In addition, several caveats regarding legality, tree size, location, and species can affect where and whether the tree can be planted.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.—
Allegra Goodman,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
-
No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Keïta and his studio fostered the embellishment of style and persona, the pleasure and play of fashioning a look and of desiring to be looked at.—
Zoë Hopkins,
New Yorker,
7 Feb. 2026
-
In her tenure so far, the CEO has fostered a self-assurance absent from the brand in recent years.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
On Wednesday, the Nets agreed to a multi-team deal with the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors that sent Chris Paul to Toronto and brought Ochai Agbaji, a 2032 Raptors second-round pick and cash considerations to Brooklyn.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
With the help of interior decorator Poplak, Diana brought a bright high-English style to her three-story marital home.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bred. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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