begets: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal, Literary, Biblical, Academic (Philosophy/History)
Quick answer
What does “begets” mean?
Gives rise to.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Gives rise to; causes (something, typically a situation or chain of events) to happen or exist.
Literally, to father a child. Metaphorically, to produce, generate, or lead to a consequence, outcome, or new state of affairs, often suggesting a causal chain.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally formal and literary in both varieties.
Connotations
Conveys weight, gravity, and a timeless, sometimes biblical/moralistic quality in both dialects.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in modern speech for both, found in similar formal/written contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “begets” in a Sentence
NP (Subject: Action/State) + beget + NP (Object: Result/Consequence)NP + beget + NP + NP (double object rare and archaic, e.g., 'He begat him a son')Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “begets” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Such short-term thinking begets long-term crises.
- In the historical record, political instability begets economic decline.
American English
- The new policy begets a host of unintended consequences.
- In this model, scarcity begets innovation.
adverb
British English
- N/A (No standard adverb form derived directly from 'begets')
American English
- N/A (No standard adverb form derived directly from 'begets')
adjective
British English
- N/A (No standard adjective form derived directly from 'begets')
American English
- N/A (No standard adjective form derived directly from 'begets')
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in formal strategy documents: 'A culture of innovation begets market leadership.'
Academic
Common in historical, philosophical, or sociological texts discussing causality: 'The economic disparity begets social unrest.'
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation. Used almost exclusively in the set phrase 'violence begets violence'.
Technical
Not typical in hard sciences. May appear in systems theory or complexity science discussing feedback loops.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “begets”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “begets”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “begets”
- Using it with a concrete object as subject (e.g., 'The factory begets cars' - incorrect).
- Using it in informal contexts where 'causes' or 'leads to' is more natural.
- Confusing it with 'begins'. ('Poverty begets crime' not '*Poverty begins crime').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is quite formal and literary. You will most often encounter it in proverbs (e.g., 'violence begets violence'), academic writing, or historical/biblical contexts.
The past tense is 'begot' and the archaic or biblical past participle is 'begotten'. In modern metaphorical use, 'begot' is still used, but 'produced' or 'caused' is often preferred.
Yes, though it's less common. 'Success begets success' or 'curiosity begets discovery' are valid. The word is neutral regarding the quality of the outcome, focusing on the causal relationship.
It is the third-person singular present tense form of the transitive verb 'to beget'.
Gives rise to.
Begets is usually formal, literary, biblical, academic (philosophy/history) in register.
Begets: in British English it is pronounced /bɪˈɡɛts/, and in American English it is pronounced /bɪˈɡɛts/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Like begets like.”
- “Money begets money.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: "BEfore it GETS going, something BEGETS it." Or, link to the famous biblical phrase, 'Abraham begat Isaac...' to remember its origin.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROCREATION IS CAUSATION (An abstract cause is a parent; its effect is an offspring).
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following sentences is 'begets' used MOST appropriately?