begat

[bih-gat] / bɪˈgæt /

VERB

create, bear

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bring about engender sire

STRONG

afford breed bring cause effect father generate get multiply occasion procreate produce propagate reproduce

WEAK

give rise to progenerate result in

Antonyms

STRONGEST

halt kill stop

STRONG

destroy fail leave

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.

Devastation begat devastation, as the ecological dominoes began to fall.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2025

He expanded his herd further that year, adding Beatrice and Benito, who begat Mellie.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2024

But that broken leg also begat the greatest comeback in NFL history and led to one of the gifts Smith gave Washington football fans — a rare Thanksgiving Day win over the Dallas Cowboys.

From Washington Times • Nov. 22, 2023

It was family tragedy that begat a soldier.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 22, 2023

This begat a tradition of colorful but useless metaphoric descriptions that preoccupied physicians for centuries.

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro