Synonym Chooser

How is the word fad distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of fad are craze, fashion, mode, rage, style, and vogue. While all these words mean "the usage accepted by those who want to be up-to-date," fad suggests caprice in taking up or in dropping a fashion.

last year's fad is over

Where would fashion be a reasonable alternative to fad?

Although the words fashion and fad have much in common, fashion is the most general term and applies to any way of dressing, behaving, writing, or performing that is favored at any one time or place.

the current fashion

When might mode be a better fit than fad?

While the synonyms mode and fad are close in meaning, mode suggests the fashion of the moment among those anxious to appear elegant and sophisticated.

slim bodies are the mode at this resort

How are the words rage and craze related as synonyms of fad?

Both rage and craze stress intense enthusiasm in adopting a fad.

Cajun food was the rage nearly everywhere for a time
crossword puzzles once seemed just a passing craze but have lasted

When would style be a good substitute for fad?

The words style and fad are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, style often implies a distinctive fashion adopted by people of taste.

a media baron used to traveling in style

When can vogue be used instead of fad?

The meanings of vogue and fad largely overlap; however, vogue stresses the wide acceptance of a fashion.

short skirts are back in vogue

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fad Instead of jumping on shiny trends like crypto or fintech fads, JPMorgan built AI systems precisely targeting business-critical challenges. Sherzod Odilov, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025 Stay open-minded to new research and workout approaches Kaleigh Ray, an exercise physiologist and staff writer for Treadmill Review Guru in St. George, Utah, warns clients not to get trapped in fitness fads and to be open to new research. Perri Ormont Blumberg, TIME, 28 Feb. 2025 The dot-com bubble burst, dragging down companies like Ciena, not because the internet was a fad. Dan Runkevicius, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025 But is there any actual science to back up the current fad? Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fad
Noun
  • Hall started the company during the early 20th century postcard craze, originally operating out of a bookstore in Norfolk, Nebraska, with his brothers, William and Rollie.
    Monty Davis, Kansas City Star, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Archie is credited for launching Sacramento’s craft beer craze in 2008, The Sacramento Bee previously reported.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Bucking the trend But there are some bright spots in casual dining.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Like just about every other shoe trend, there’s a divide.
    Marilú Almaguer, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The latests deaths included three residents of long-term care facilities in Dallas, as well as a Balch Springs man in his 20s and a Dallas man in his 60s.
    Dana Branham, Dallas News, 30 Apr. 2020
  • That equates to more than 45 million Americans using CBD products, based on latest available U.S. Census estimates.
    Brendan Bures, chicagotribune.com, 2 Oct. 2019
Noun
  • Abstract Expressionism, a painterly movement that trumpeted drippy strokes and flat canvases, was still in vogue when Whitten enrolled at Cooper Union in 1960.
    Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Shows about Hollywood feel in vogue, with Seth Rogen’s Apple TV+ series The Studio about the fictional head of a big American player set to launch in a week.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Male rage, particularly on display in parts of the manosphere, has been steadily rising.
    Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Also, the trade war rages, and there were mass firings at key scientific agencies.
    Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 4 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fad. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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