1
: a small or insignificant amount or degree : bit
might give him some water and a tad to eatC. T. Walker
2
: a small child
especially : boy
Phrases
a tad
: somewhat, rather
looked a tad bigger than meLarry Hodgson

Examples of tad in a Sentence

there's more than just a tad of hyperbole in the critics' praise for the promising young pianist grandfather never tires of telling us about the days when he was just a tad
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My bus to Atlantic City, Greyhound’s Lucky Streak — the $20 one-way to any casino with a $20 slot credit, the every-day deal now in its twenty-fifth year—is running a few tads late. Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 18 Dec. 2024 Those numbers might have been a tad uncomfortable to handle, and the markets didn’t want to take inflation hot to go. Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024 Perhaps a tad too neatly, the Dahl siblings are accompanied by outliers to serve as witnesses, resisters and accelerants. Jesse Green, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024 The green looks a tad darker than Garner’s sweater and the fit is slightly roomier. Clint Davis, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tad 

Word History

Etymology

probably from English dialect, toad, from Middle English tode — more at toad

First Known Use

circa 1877, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of tad was circa 1877

Dictionary Entries Near tad

Cite this Entry

“Tad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tad. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on tad

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!