waded; wading
1
: to step in or through a medium (such as water) offering more resistance than air
2
: to move or proceed with difficulty or labor
wade through the crowd
wade through all the evidence
3
: to set to work or attack with determination or vigor
—used with in or into
wade into a task
: to pass or cross by wading
: an act of wading
a wade in the brook
Examples of wade in a Sentence
Verb
We waded into the ocean.
I jumped off the boat and waded back to shore.
Police waded into the crowd.
We waded through the crowded bus station.
It took several weeks to wade through all the evidence.
We waded our way through the crowd.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
President Donald Trump is again wading into the debate around Columbus Day.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
In recent weeks, though, her group has doubled in size, and while in the past there were only two or three posts per day, Mitchell and her new moderators now have to wade through 60-plus comments ranging from helpful to libelous.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
To get to the local community center after heavy rains, people had to wade through standing water, often in rubber boots.
—Cara Buckley, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wade
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.
Verb
The effect is chilling and exhilarating, like wading into the river of time to stand beside them.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
President Donald Trump is again wading into the debate around Columbus Day.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
In recent weeks, though, her group has doubled in size, and while in the past there were only two or three posts per day, Mitchell and her new moderators now have to wade through 60-plus comments ranging from helpful to libelous.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
To get to the local community center after heavy rains, people had to wade through standing water, often in rubber boots.
—Cara Buckley, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wade
Cite this Entry
“Wade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wade. Accessed 10 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share