Illustration of toad
- toad 1
1
: any of numerous anuran amphibians (especially family Bufonidae) that are distinguished from the related frogs by being more terrestrial in habit though returning to water to lay their eggs, by having a build that is squatter and shorter with weaker and shorter hind limbs, and by having skin that is rough, dry, and warty rather than smooth and moist
2
: a contemptible person or thing
Examples of toad in a Sentence
He's such a mean little toad.
that miserable toad is lucky to have even a single friend
Recent Examples on the Web
Biologists release Houston toad eggs produced by the Houston Zoo into a pond in Central Texas.
—
Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Consider late-blooming native plants such as asters, goldenrod, ironweed, Joe Pye weed, and sneezeweed, as well as some non-natives including tall sedums, dahlias, toad lilies, zinnias, Bolivian verbena, reblooming roses and anise hyssop.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
Hikers will look for evidence like burrows, nests and tracks of tarantulas, toads, scorpions, glowworms and other nighttime creatures.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, JoJo faces her own crisis when a wing-enhancement surgery goes catastrophically wrong, turning her from a raven into a toad.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for toad
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.
Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Consider late-blooming native plants such as asters, goldenrod, ironweed, Joe Pye weed, and sneezeweed, as well as some non-natives including tall sedums, dahlias, toad lilies, zinnias, Bolivian verbena, reblooming roses and anise hyssop.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
Hikers will look for evidence like burrows, nests and tracks of tarantulas, toads, scorpions, glowworms and other nighttime creatures.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, JoJo faces her own crisis when a wing-enhancement surgery goes catastrophically wrong, turning her from a raven into a toad.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for toad
Cite this Entry
“Toad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toad. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
toad
noun
: any of numerous tailless leaping amphibians that lay their eggs in water and are distinguished from the related frogs by living on land more often, by having a build that is shorter and thicker with weaker and shorter hind limbs, and by having skin that is rough, dry and warty rather than smooth and moist
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
