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.
David Beckham fans may have been a tad concerned Friday when his wife Victoria posted a reel of him in a hospital bed. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025 But Hagens is not known for a powerful shot and, a tad undersized, he will be challenged to get to inside ice. Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 28 June 2025 Friedland gets just a tad cute on us, near the end, in a Valentine’s Day reunion of mother and son. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2025 Each pretty much looked the same, just a tad faster. New Atlas, 23 June 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

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Cite this Entry

“Tad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tad. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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