inbreed
Americanverb (used with object)
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to breed (individuals of a closely related group) repeatedly.
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to breed within; engender.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to breed from unions between closely related individuals, esp over several generations
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(tr) to develop within; engender
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inbreed
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Now researchers have figured out one reason the critters are so hardy: they can inbreed, quite robustly, for generations.
From Time ● Dec. 7, 2011
It turns out that unlike most creatures, bedbugs are able to inbreed with close relatives and still produce generally healthy offspring.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 7, 2011
Bed bugs inbreed without ill effects, the researchers said, so even a single mated bed bug can lead to a colony of the blood-sucking insects.
From BusinessWeek ● Dec. 6, 2011
For such a group, to survive is to inbreed, and the Amish have more than survived; they now number 44,000.
From Time Magazine Archive
"We're now getting a better understanding of unappreciated sources of genetic diversity that may explain how some inbred species can still respond to their environment."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
The firm’s potent culture, Mr. Blankfein once said, blended confidence and excellence with “an inbred insecurity that drives people.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
Greene adds: "Keijo is inbred, so it's even more concerning that his semen might be used for breeding of captive orcas."
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2025
Inside the painting is a rendering of Kenny the Tiger, the famous inbred white Bengal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2025
After decades of neglect, I find myself thinking about departed great- aunts and -uncles, long-lost grandfathers, unknown fifth cousins, or, in the case of an inbred family like mine, all those things in one.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
They’ve already shown alarming signs of inbreeding, including kinked tails and deformed testicles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
Vantara collects genetic data to help prevent inbreeding among Asiatic lions, is building a university, and pledges to fund overseas conservation projects.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
Just a few months ago, the National Park Service caught a young collared male at the western end of the mountain range who had a kinked tail — a sign of inbreeding.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
Despite numbering only about 2,000 individuals, the Bristol Bay belugas showed high levels of genetic diversity and relatively little evidence of inbreeding.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2026
He was a businessman, pronounced ztfynessman in his case, a hardworking, earthbound professional, more concerned with inbreeding among the lions than any overarching moral or existential scheme.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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