plural dads
informal
: a male parent : father entry 1 sense 1
My mom swam and played soccer, my dad surfed, and my brother played basketball.Shannon Griggs
Don't get me wrong, I'm a good dad who maintains a cheerful household and greets parenthood with a smile and an open heart.Ron Harris
often used as a name
When is Dad getting home?
Dad, can you give me a ride?

Examples of dad in a Sentence

Her mom and dad both said she can't go. my dad did most of the cooking for dinner because he usually got home earlier than my mom
Recent Examples on the Web Jada shared a sweet post in October 2021 celebrating her dad’s birthday. Francesca Gariano, People.com, 27 Oct. 2024 My dad is this like calm, sweet, empathetic man and Happy is a little bit high strung. Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024 My dad had a lot of back pain, and this helped prop him into the perfect position. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2024 My dad is an older generation black man who did not graduate high school. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dad 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dad.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably baby talk

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dad was in 1533

Dictionary Entries Near dad

Cite this Entry

“Dad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dad. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

dad

noun
informal

More from Merriam-Webster on dad

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!