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 engines were carryovers, although power was up a tad, with the smaller car’s twin-turbo V6 now making 472 hp and the bigger machine’s 6.2-liter supercharged V8 packing 668 hp. Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 15 July 2025 Whatever the film is trying to say about familial relationships and how divorce affects children ends being a tad misogynist. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 14 July 2025 Deaths were a tad higher a decade later, but close to flat—amazing considering the drop in enforcement. The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 13 July 2025 All other technical credits are solid, though the Southern California locations look a tad familiar. Kirk Honeycutt, HollywoodReporter, 12 July 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tad. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

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