shad

noun

\ ˈshad

How to pronounce shad (audio)

\

plural shad

Definition of shad

: any of several fishes (especially genus Alosa) of the herring family that differ from the typical herrings (genus Clupeus) in having a relatively deep body and in being anadromous and that include some important food fishes of Europe and North America

Examples of shad in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Stripers are coming out of the main rivers after a spawning run—find them by slow-trolling a large live shad on channel edges at 30 to 40 feet. — Frank Sargeant, al, "Friday fishing report for Alabama," 16 Apr. 2021 But the most promising finds occurred on the bluffs, where Indigenous people had likely encamped to take advantage of seasonal shad runs that amazed Capt. — Washington Post, "George Washington’s historic River Farm is worth saving for reasons beyond the president, historians say," 12 Apr. 2021 The ideal fly rod for hickory shad in Deer Creek and the Octoraro is a 9-foot, 5 weight. — Bill May, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Bill May: Springtime means shad fishing | OUTDOORS COMMENTARY," 10 Apr. 2021 True Bass True Lock jig head with a 6/0 hook paired up with a 6″ Megabass Magdraft Freestyle in a white shad color. — Frank Sargeant, al, "Alabama Friday fishing report," 19 Mar. 2021 The Pro Circuit last visited Smith Lake in April 2018, when North Carolina pro David Williams took advantage of the shad spawn around the docks, bringing home the hardware with a four-day total of 64 pounds, 9 ounces. — Frank Sargeant, al, "Major League Fishing Pro Circuit winds up today at Lewis Smith Lake," 14 Mar. 2021 The shad, striped bass, American eels, and other forage fish disappeared. — Tom Keer, Field & Stream, "American Shad, Our ‘Founding Fish,’ Returns to its Home Waters After 300 Years," 24 Feb. 2021 One Gambian plant alone takes in more than seven thousand five hundred tons of fish a year, mostly of a local type of shad known as bonga—a silvery fish about ten inches long. — Ian Urbina, The New Yorker, "Fish Farming Is Feeding the Globe. What’s the Cost for Locals?," 1 Mar. 2021 There was a time when the shad was among the primary sources of protein for Native Americans. — Mike Argento, baltimoresun.com, "Dammed, drugged, poisoned: Shad, eels and smallmouth bass struggle to survive in Susquehanna River," 27 Feb. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shad.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

25 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Shad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shad. Accessed 6 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for shad

shad

noun

\ ˈshad

\

plural shad

Kids Definition of shad

: a silvery ocean fish that swims up rivers to lay or fertilize eggs and is often used for food

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