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.
The laughs subside a tad once the focus moves away from Iris, which is noticeable given how amusing the film is up until that point. David Opie, IndieWire, 21 Nov. 2024 The note is raised a tad in the film version, which director Jon M. Chu says was a mutual decision between the original composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz and Erivo. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 20 Nov. 2024 While White’s production needs to sharpen its pace and tempo a tad, there’s no denying the depth and urgency of the play’s themes, not to mention the wry pleasures of the text, Bioh’s rich gift for the idiosyncrasies of language and dialect, the rollicking musicality of speech. Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024 But some, like brussels sprouts, have a tad more than others—three grams per one cup serving in this case. Audrey Bruno, SELF, 4 Nov. 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 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

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