dad bod

noun

plural dad bods
informal
: a physique regarded as typical of an average father
especially : one that is slightly overweight and not extremely muscular
"… I am not going to have a belly. I think I have too much ego to have a dad bod—even though I'm a dad. …" Marlon Wayans
If the proud owner of a dad bod were to write a guidebook on how to achieve this sought after physique—somewhat muscular, but with some extra flesh and a belly—what should it be titled? TheWeek.com
The "dad bod" became the hot new look. Even Hollywood latched onto the more attainable physique with actors sporting bodies that were not chiseled, not incredibly lean, and a little soft in the middle. Abby Eden

Examples of dad bod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Exercise and diet For most men, an hour or two of strength training a week is enough to push back against the dad bod, Schoenfeld says. Ian McMahan, Washington Post, 7 July 2024 Middle-aged men with dad bods have joined home defense units, patrolling in golf carts, militarizing what were once suburban neighborhoods. William Booth, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024 This Father’s Day, actress Jennifer Lopez revealed on social media that her husband, Ben Affleck, does not have a dad bod. Kate Armanini, BostonGlobe.com, 19 June 2023 In the first scene, Purves’s Falstaff is shown not as the usual gorging grotesque in a fat suit, but as a careful master chef, sensitively relishing his creations — and with, at best, a dad bod. New York Times, 12 July 2021

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

Word History

First Known Use

2003, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dad bod was in 2003

Dictionary Entries Near dad bod

Cite this Entry

“Dad bod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dad%20bod. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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