What does "thoroughbred" mean?
Alternative letter-case form of Thoroughbred (“horse bred for racing”).
Thoroughbred
adj, noun
adj, noun ·3 syllables ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Alternative letter-case form of Thoroughbred (“horse bred for racing”).
- Grammar: thoroughbred is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: purebred, american trotter, appaloosa, arabian.
- Useful contrasts: underbred, amateur, commoner.
- Usage evidence: "I assure you that I have not associated you with the crime, Colonel," said he. "The real murderer is standing immediately behind you." He stepped past and laid his hand upon the glossy neck of the thoroughbred. "The horse!" cried both the Colonel and myself.
How to use "thoroughbred"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "thoroughbred" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "thoroughbred" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "thoroughbred" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "thoroughbred" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "thoroughbred" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "purebred" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "thoroughbred", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Alternative letter-case form of Thoroughbred (“horse bred for racing”). alt-of
"A CNN analysis of disciplinary records found that the top earning trainers in the sport – whose thoroughbreds win them millions of dollars – have all broken rules meant to keep their horses safe. Trainers slapped with violations have continued racing, pocketing winnings while paying minimal fines. […] During the 2018-2019 season, a staggering 56 horses died at one of the most glamorous racetracks in the country, Santa Anita Park, once home to the famous 1940s thoroughbred Seabiscuit."
- 2 A horse of a breed derived from crosses between Arabian stallions and English mares, bred for racing, with its breeding history recorded in an official stud book.
"He wanted to be at the white-hot center of equine sport, to become a jockey, to be able to feel the thrust and power of a Thoroughbred in its ultimate competition: racing flat out, surging to the head of the herd."
- 3 a pedigreed animal of unmixed lineage; used especially of horses wordnet
- 4 Any purebred horse. broadly
- 5 a racehorse belonging to a breed that originated from a cross between Arabian stallions and English mares wordnet
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A person of uncommon strength or endurance (like that of a thoroughbred horse).
"That athlete is a real thoroughbred."
- 7 a well-bred person wordnet
- 8 A well-bred person.
Adjective
- 1 Bred from pure stock.
- 2 Well-bred and properly educated.
Adjective
- 1 having a list of ancestors as proof of being a purebred animal wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
""I assure you that I have not associated you with the crime, Colonel," said he. "The real murderer is standing immediately behind you." He stepped past and laid his hand upon the glossy neck of the thoroughbred. "The horse!" cried both the Colonel and myself."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "thoroughbred"?
Common synonyms include: purebred, american trotter, appaloosa, arabian, archduke, aristocrat.
How do you use "thoroughbred" in a sentence?
"I assure you that I have not associated you with the crime, Colonel," said he. "The real murderer is standing immediately behind you." He stepped past and laid his hand upon the glossy neck of the thoroughbred. "The horse!" cried both the Colonel and myself.
Etymology
From thorough + bred.