1
: rooted and ingrained in one's nature as deeply as if implanted by heredity
an inbred love of freedom
2
[from past participle of inbreed]
: subjected to or produced by inbreeding
plural inbreds
: a plant or animal produced by inbreeding
It is recommended that only superior horses be used in the practice of inbreeding because inbreds from the same stock will produce an inferior strain if carried on over a prolonged period.—
Philip A. Pines
Philip A. PinesThe result, he thought, of mating two single crosses would combine the outstanding characteristic of four inbreds rather than two and would take advantage of the high yield of the single-cross seed parent.—William L. Brown
William L. BrownSynonyms
Examples of inbred in a Sentence
Adjective
They have an inbred love of freedom.
an inbred desire to do good in the world
Recent Examples on the Web
Françoise Mouly, The New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2023
If your partner comes from an inbred lineage then don't worry about your offspring (at least for genetic reasons).
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 18 July 2013
Some working theories include genetic diseases stemming from his inbred parentage; a chariot accident; and a leg wound infected with malaria.
—Jason P. Dinh, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2022
The bluer the diagonal, the more inbred and isolated the population is likely to be.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2012
See all Example Sentences for inbred 
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Adjective
The book, centered on the lives of strong female characters, intertwines tales of soldiers in the hell of the Vietnam War, a demonic sect of inbred aristocrats, a radio that broadcasts the voice of the dead, and a rags-to-riches story of an influential candlemaker—among others.
—Françoise Mouly, The New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2023
If your partner comes from an inbred lineage then don't worry about your offspring (at least for genetic reasons).
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 18 July 2013
Some working theories include genetic diseases stemming from his inbred parentage; a chariot accident; and a leg wound infected with malaria.
—Jason P. Dinh, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2022
The bluer the diagonal, the more inbred and isolated the population is likely to be.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2012
See all Example Sentences for inbred
Dictionary Entries Near inbred
Cite this Entry
“Inbred.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inbred. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inbred
adjective
in·bred
ˈin-ˈbred 
1
: deeply rooted in a person
an inbred love of freedom
2
: subjected to or produced by inbreeding
Medical Definition
inbred
adjective
in·bred
ˈin-ˈbred
: subjected to or produced by inbreeding
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