fad

1 of 2

noun

ˈfad 

: a practice or interest followed for a time with exaggerated zeal : craze

faddish

ˈfa-dish 

adjective

faddishly adverb

faddishness noun

faddism

ˈfa-ˌdi-zəm 

noun

faddist

ˈfa-dist 

noun

faddy

ˈfa-dē 

adjective

faddy

2 of 2

adjective

fad·​dy ˈfadē 

ˈfaad-, 

-di

-er/-est

: faddish

Synonyms of fad

Noun

• craze
• trend
• latest
• vogue
• rage

Choose the Right Synonym for fad

fashion, style, mode, vogue, fad, rage, craze mean the usage accepted by those who want to be up-to-date.

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

style often implies a distinctive fashion adopted by people of taste.

a media baron used to traveling in style

mode suggests the fashion of the moment among those anxious to appear elegant and sophisticated.

slim bodies are the mode at this resort

vogue stresses the wide acceptance of a fashion.

short skirts are back in vogue

fad suggests caprice in taking up or in dropping a fashion.

last year's fad is over

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

Examples of fad in a Sentence

Noun

She's always interested in the latest fads.

once the fad for that kind of music had passed, nobody would have been caught dead listening to it

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The way families eat is shifting fast, and the food trends shaping 2026 look less like fads and more like permanent rewrites of the daily routine. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026

Just how the fad got started no one seems to know. —Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026

In the film, actress Midori Francis plays Hana, a medical student who becomes terrorized by a sinister force after partaking in the latest dieting fad — eating human ashes. —Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026

Some sleepmaxxing methods are based on science, while others are considered internet fads. —Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1867, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fad

• ad
• add
• bad
• brad
• cad
• clad
• dad
• gad
• glad
• grad
• had
• lad

Kids Definition

fad

noun

ˈfad 

: a practice or interest followed for a time with exaggerated zeal : craze

faddish

ˈfad-ish 

adjective

faddist

ˈfad-əst 

noun

faddy

ˈfad-ē 

adjective

Medical Definition

FAD

noun

ˌef-(ˌ)ā-ˈdē 

: flavin adenine dinucleotide