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
One powerful example is the boreal toad, a species native to Colorado that has faced major population declines.
—
Alex Lehnert, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
As warmer weather comes to Mlochowski Forest, 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Warsaw, thousands of toads and frogs wake up from their winter slumber and begin their meticulous spawning journey to the marshes, a few kilometers away.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Today's amphibians include frogs and toads, newts and salamanders, and the wormlike amphibians known as caecilians.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Given toads held special significance of toads in many southwestern Chinese cultures, archaeologists had to deduce that the drum carried not only music, but deeper messages and meanings.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 15 Mar. 2026
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Alex Lehnert, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
As warmer weather comes to Mlochowski Forest, 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Warsaw, thousands of toads and frogs wake up from their winter slumber and begin their meticulous spawning journey to the marshes, a few kilometers away.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Today's amphibians include frogs and toads, newts and salamanders, and the wormlike amphibians known as caecilians.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Given toads held special significance of toads in many southwestern Chinese cultures, archaeologists had to deduce that the drum carried not only music, but deeper messages and meanings.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 15 Mar. 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 18 Apr. 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
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