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
Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
The Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Kentucky, the largest thoroughbred auction in the world, grossed a record $531.7 million this year, handily beating last year’s $427.9 million.
—Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
Kevin Modesti, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
The horses are not meant to be thoroughbreds running up to 55 miles-per-hour.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thoroughbred
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Adjective
Ruidoso lives on, fierce as the thoroughbred breaking from its gate: scarred already, but running anyway.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
The Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Kentucky, the largest thoroughbred auction in the world, grossed a record $531.7 million this year, handily beating last year’s $427.9 million.
—Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
The trend toward horses racing less often at all levels of the game is widely attributed to modern breeding practices producing less-hardy thoroughbreds.
—Kevin Modesti, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
The horses are not meant to be thoroughbreds running up to 55 miles-per-hour.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 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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