Bred — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective phrase /ˈbrēd/ (verb) /ˈbre-dᵊn-t͟hə-ˌbōn/ (adjective) /ˈhaf-ˌbred/ (adjective) /ˈil-ˈbred/ (adjective) /ˈwel-ˈbred/ (adjective)

Meaning & Definition of Bred

Bred (verb)

  1. to produce (offspring) by hatching or gestation
  2. beget
  3. produce, engender

Bred (adjective)

  1. deep-rooted
  2. inveterate
  3. having one purebred parent
  4. badly brought up or showing bad upbringing, impolite
  5. having or displaying the politeness and good manners associated especially with people of high social class
  6. having a good pedigree

Bred (phrase)

  1. —used to refer to where one's birth and childhood took place

Bred (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to bring forth offspring

    "rabbits will breed very frequently unless they're kept separated"

    similar: multiplied, procreated, propagated, reproduced
    related: begot, bore, engendered, gendered, generated, got, had, mothered, parented, produced, sired, hatched, spawned

  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"

    similar: brought up, fostered, nourished, nursed, raised, reared
    related: fathered, mothered, attended, cared (for), cradled, cultivated, minded, ministered (to), nurtured, watched, disciplined, educated, instructed, mentored, schooled, taught, trained, tutored, edified, enlightened, indoctrinated, fed, provided (for), supplied, advanced, forwarded, furthered, promoted, prepared, directed, guided, led, shepherded, showed
    near: abused, ill-treated, ill-used, maltreated, mishandled, mistreated, ignored, neglected, harmed, hurt, injured

  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"

    similar: begot, brought, brought about, brought on, catalyzed, caused, created, did, drew on, effected, effectuated, engendered, generated, induced, invoked, made, occasioned, produced, prompted, resulted (in), spawned, translated (into), worked, yielded, brought forth, gave rise to
    related: conduced (to), contributed (to), decided, determined, began, established, fathered, founded, inaugurated, initiated, innovated, instituted, introduced, launched, pioneered, set, set up, started, advanced, cultivated, developed, encouraged, forwarded, fostered, furthered, nourished, nurtured, promoted, enacted, rendered, turned out
    near: impeded, limited, restricted, clamped down (on), cracked down (on), crushed, dampened, put down, quashed, quelled, repressed, smothered, squashed, squelched, stifled, subdued, suppressed, arrested, checked, controlled, curbed, inhibited, reined (in), restrained, retarded, canned (slang), killed, snuffed (out), stilled, abolished, demolished, destroyed, extinguished, liquidated, quenched

  4. to engage in sexual intercourse

    "cats breeding outside our window made a horrible racket last night"

    similar: copulated, mated, slept, did it, had sex
    related: fooled around, fornicated

  5. to set permanently in the consciousness or mind-set

    "parents who breed in their children a deep respect for people of all classes"

    similar: enrooted, implanted, inculcated, infixed, inseminated, instilled, planted, sowed
    related: drove, hammered, pounded, embedded, entrenched, fixed, lodged, rooted, imbued, infused, ingrained, inoculated, invested, steeped, suffused

Related Entry: Breed (verb)

Breed is a different word from Bred. The synonyms below are for breed, not for bred.

  1. to bring forth offspring

    "rabbits will breed very frequently unless they're kept separated"

    similar: multiply, procreate, propagate, reproduce
    related: 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"

    similar: bring up, foster, nourish, nurse, raise, rear
    related: 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: 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"

    similar: 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, bring forth, give rise to
    related: 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
    near: 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, can (slang), kill, snuff (out), still, abolish, demolish, destroy, extinguish, liquidate, quench

  4. to engage in sexual intercourse

    "cats breeding outside our window made a horrible racket last night"

    similar: copulate, mate, sleep, do it, have sex
    related: 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"

    similar: enroot, implant, inculcate, infix, inseminate, instill, plant, sow
    related: drive, hammer, pound, embed, entrench, fix, lodge, root, imbue, infuse, ingrain, inoculate, invest, steep, suffuse

Related Entry: Bred-in-the-bone (adjective)

Bred-in-the-bone is a different word from Bred. The synonyms below are for bred-in-the-bone, not for bred.

  1. being such by habit and not likely to change

    "a bred-in-the-bone Democrat who always votes a straight ticket"

    similar: chronic, confirmed, dyed-in-the-wool, habitual, inveterate
    related: incorrigible, unreconstructed, unregenerate, born, natural, persistent, regular, repeat, serial, steady, unchanging, unfailing, addicted, accustomed, habituated, used, wonted, deep-rooted, deep-seated, entrenched, inbred, inherent, innate, intrinsic, apt, inclined, prone, mulish, obstinate, set, stubborn
    near: unaccustomed, unused, intermittent, occasional

  2. firmly established over time

    "bred-in-the-bone honesty earned him the nickname of Honest Abe"

    similar: confirmed, deep, deep-rooted, deep-seated, entrenched, hard-core, inveterate, rooted, settled
    related: firm, fixed, frozen, hard, hard-and-fast, immutable, irradicable, set, unalterable, unchangeable, embedded, implanted, inculcated, instilled, inborn, inbred, ingrained, inherent, innate, integral, intrinsic, natural, accustomed, chronic, customary, habitual, regular, typical, usual, abiding, enduring, lifelong, persistent, persisting
    near: brief, ephemeral, fleeting, impermanent, interim, momentary, provisional, short-lived, short-term, temporary, transient

Related Entry: Ill-bred (adjective)

Ill-bred is a different word from Bred. The synonyms below are for ill-bred, not for bred.

  1. lacking in refinement or good taste

    "the ill-bred habit of chewing with the mouth open"

    similar: coarse, common, crass, crude, gross, illiberal (archaic), incult, insensible, low, lowbred, lowbrow, raffish, rough, rough-hewn, roughneck, rude, rugged, tasteless, uncouth, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar
    related: boorish, churlish, cloddish, clownish, loutish, ungentlemanly, clumsy, lubberly, lumpish, oafish, inconsiderate, indelicate, insensitive, thoughtless, countrified, provincial, rustic, unsophisticated, graceless, inelegant, tacky, animallike, barbaric, barbarous, uncivilized, mannerless, unmannered, unmannerly
    opposite: civilized, cultivated, cultured, genteel, polished, refined, smooth, tasteful, ultrarefined, well-bred
    near: aristocratic, courtly, patrician, elegant, graceful, restrained, considerate, gracious, sensitive, thoughtful, citified, sophisticated, urbane

  2. showing a lack of manners or consideration for others

    "only an ill-bred, conceited person would demand that everyone cater to their whims"

    similar: discourteous, disrespectful, ill-mannered, impertinent, impolite, inconsiderate, rude, thoughtless, uncalled-for, uncivil, ungracious, unhandsome, unmannered, unmannerly
    related: arch, audacious, bold, bold-faced, brash, brassy, brazen, cheeky, fresh, impudent, insolent, lippy, sassy, saucy, shameless, boorish, caddish, churlish, clownish, loutish, uncouth, vulgar, abrupt, blunt, brusque, crusty, curt, gruff, sharp, snippety, snippy, antisocial, crabbed, cross, disagreeable, grumpy, sullen, surly, improper, incorrect, indecent, indecorous, unseemly, arrogant, bumptious, conceited, haughty, high-handed, imperious, peremptory, pompous, presumptuous, pretentious, supercilious, superior
    opposite: civil, considerate, courteous, genteel, gracious, mannerly, polite, thoughtful, well-bred
    near: humble, meek, modest, unassertive, deferential, dutiful, respectful, submissive, yielding, acceptable, appropriate, becoming, befitting, correct, decent, decorous, fit, fitting, good, meet, proper, respectable, right, seemly, suitable, affable, cordial, friendly, genial, hospitable, sociable, felicitous, graceful, chivalrous, courtly, gallant, ceremonious, elegant, refined

Related Entry: Well-bred (adjective)

Well-bred is a different word from Bred. The synonyms below are for well-bred, not for bred.

  1. showing consideration, courtesy, and good manners

    "a well-bred young woman who is unfailingly polite to everyone"

    similar: civil, courteous, genteel, gracious, mannerly, polite
    related: attentive, careful, considerate, nice, solicitous, thoughtful, chivalrous, civilized, courtly, gallant, gentlemanlike, gentlemanly, ladylike, ceremonial, ceremonious, red-carpet, couth, formal, smooth, suave, unctuous, urbane, elegant, refined, deferential, dutiful, respectful, submissive, yielding, acceptable, appropriate, becoming, befitting, comme il faut, correct, decent, decorous, fit, fitting, good, meet, proper, respectable, right, seemly, suitable, affable, cordial, friendly, genial, hospitable, pleasant, sociable, felicitous, graceful, demure, humble, meek, modest, unassertive
    opposite: discourteous, ill-bred, ill-mannered, impolite, inconsiderate, mannerless, rude, thoughtless, uncivil, ungenteel, ungracious, unmannered, unmannerly
    near: heedless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, audacious, bold, bold-faced, brash, brassy, disrespectful, impertinent, impudent, insolent, lippy, saucy, shameless, boorish, churlish, clodhopping, clownish, loutish, uncouth, vulgar, casual, informal, unceremonious, improper, inappropriate, incorrect, indecent, indecorous, uncalled-for, unrespectable, unseemly, arrogant, conceited, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious

Related Entry: Half-bred (noun)

Half-bred is a different word from Bred. The synonyms below are for half-bred, not for bred.

  1. as in cross, intercross

    similar: cross, crossbred, crossbreed, hybrid, intercross, mongrel, mule, outcross
    opposite: full-blood, pureblood, purebred, thoroughbred

Related Entry: Half-bred (adjective)

Half-bred is a different word from Bred. The synonyms below are for half-bred, not for bred.

  1. as in grade

    similar: grade, cold-blooded, cross, crossbred, hybrid, mixed, mongrel, dihybrid, trihybrid, crossed, hybridized, interbred, outcrossed
    opposite: blooded, full-blood, full-blooded, purebred, thoroughbred, pedigreed, inbred, linebred, straightbred

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bred

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bred:

multiplied, procreated, propagated, reproduced, brought up, fostered, nourished, nursed, raised, reared, begot, brought, brought about, brought on, catalyzed, caused, created, did, drew on, effected, effectuated, engendered, generated, induced, invoked, made, occasioned, produced, prompted, resulted (in), spawned, translated (into), worked, yielded, copulated, mated, slept, enrooted, implanted, inculcated

Related Words for Bred

bore, gendered, got, had, mothered, parented, sired, hatched, fathered, attended, cared (for), cradled, cultivated, minded, ministered (to), nurtured, watched, disciplined, educated, instructed, mentored, schooled, taught, trained, tutored, edified, enlightened, indoctrinated, fed, provided (for)

Near Antonyms of Bred

abused, ill-treated, ill-used, maltreated, mishandled, mistreated, ignored, neglected, harmed, hurt, injured, impeded, limited, restricted, clamped down (on), cracked down (on), crushed, dampened, put down, quashed, quelled, repressed, smothered, squashed, squelched, stifled, subdued, suppressed, arrested, checked

Word Forms of Bred

Inflections: breeding

Derived words: half-bred (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Bred

Middle English breden, from Old English brēdan; akin to Old English brōd brood

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Words & Phrases Containing Bred

bred-in-the-bone, half-bred, ill-bred, well-bred, born and bred

Frequently Asked Questions about Bred

What does "Bred" mean?

"Bred" means to produce (offspring) by hatching or gestation. As an a verb, an adjective and a phrase, it is defined as: to produce (offspring) by hatching or gestation. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bred"?

Other words for "Bred" include multiplied, procreated, propagated, reproduced, brought up, fostered, nourished and nursed. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bred" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bred"?

There are 129 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bred". Common alternatives include multiplied, procreated, propagated, reproduced, brought up, fostered, nourished, nursed, raised and reared.

How do you use "Bred" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bred" in a sentence: "rabbits will breed very frequently unless they're kept separated"; "he was bred to a life in the military by his father, himself an army captain"; "this habit of favoring one employee over the others will breed resentment".

Is "Bred" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Bred" can be used as a verb, an adjective and a phrase, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Bred"?

"Bred" is pronounced /ˈbrēd/ as a verb, /ˈbre-dᵊn-t͟hə-ˌbōn/ as an adjective, /ˈhaf-ˌbred/ as an adjective, /ˈil-ˈbred/ as an adjective and /ˈwel-ˈbred/ as an adjective.

What is the origin of the word "Bred"?

"Bred" comes from Middle English breden, from Old English brēdan; akin to Old English brōd brood. First known use: before 12th centuryt.

What is another word for "Bred" meaning "to bring forth offspring"?

When "Bred" (verb) means to bring forth offspring, synonyms include multiplied, procreated, propagated and reproduced.