toad

\ ˈtōd

How to pronounce toad (audio)

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Definition of toad

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

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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 Beneath the turbulence of a small waterfall in France’s Lez River, a male common toad holds on for dear life. — Popular Science, "Twelve powerful images to remind us how weird and wild the world is," 13 May 2020 But this is the first time a toad has been found to mimic a snake. — Munyaradzi Makoni, Science | AAAS, "One of these is a deadly viper. The other is a harmless toad. Can you tell the difference?," 20 Oct. 2019 The Texas horned lizard, known as the horny toad, is iconic for its spiky, dinosaur-like appearance and ability to shoot blood from its eyes. — Alia Malik, ExpressNews.com, "UT San Antonio grad student joins fight to save a Texas icon — the ‘horny toad’," 27 Apr. 2020 The shovel-nosed frog, Australian turtle frog, and the Mexican burrowing toad aren’t close cousins at all and aren’t likely to be spotted hanging out close to each other on the globe. — Sara Kiley Watson, Popular Science, "These spiky frog skulls look more like dinosaur fossils," 4 Apr. 2020 The fungus disrupts transmission of electrolytes through the skin of a frog or toad, ultimately stopping its heart. — Elizabeth Kolbert, National Geographic, "What we lose when animals go extinct," 25 Sep. 2019 Boreal toads live in Rocky Mountain wetlands above 8,000 feet up to timberline. — Bruce Finley, The Denver Post, "Battle to save Colorado high-country toads goes microbial with ground-breaking Purple Rain treatment," 13 July 2019 Animals such as bats, lizards, and toads are sold as medicine to treat common ailments. — Emma Colton, Washington Examiner, "Chinese 'wet markets' reportedly open back up, selling bats and dogs for human consumption," 30 Mar. 2020 One hundred of the more than 300 toads were sent to other zoos with captive breeding programs. — Fox News, "World's first toad born using in vitro fertiziliation from frozen semen," 26 Nov. 2019

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

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Dictionary Entries near toad

to a (bare) minimum

to a certain extent

Statistics for toad

Last Updated

19 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Toad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toad. Accessed 27 May. 2020.

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