What's the past tense of "breed"?
The past tense of breed is bred. The past participle is also bred. The form "breeded" is not standard English and should be avoided.
Definition of breed
Breed means to produce offspring, especially in a controlled way, or to cause something to develop or spread.
- The past tense of breed is bred.
- The present or past perfect).
Verb forms of 'breed'
Is "breed" a regular or irregular verb?
It's irregular. While bred ends in -ed, it's not formed by simply adding -ed to the base form. The word changes from breed to bred by removing the internal vowel, not by adding a suffix.
When to use breed vs. bred
Present tense: "Farmers breed cattle for milk production."
Past tense: "The horses bred successfully in the wild."
Use breed for present actions and bred for past actions or as a past participle with auxiliary verbs.
Sentence examples: breed, bred, bred
• Farmers breed horses for racing.
• These birds breed in tropical climates.
• She breeds dogs for show competitions.
• The birds bred successfully last spring.
• He bred champion horses for decades.
• The wolves bred in the northern forests.
• These dogs have been bred for intelligence.
• The cattle had bred before the drought.
• They have bred a new variety of roses.
Synonyms & nearby words
Synonyms for breed
Nearby phrases
FAQs
What is the past tense of breed?
Is "breeded" correct?
Is breed a regular verb?
Sources
- Collins English Dictionary. "Definition of breed." Accessed 15 Oct 2025.
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