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
Many are about toads, or other amphibians.
—
Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025
Leptobrachella kungfu, or the Foshan leaf litter toad, has a small body size measuring about an inch long from snout to butt, according to the study.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2025
But when animal populations are divided by great distances or geographic barriers — which is the case in many of the forest habitats where Nectophrynoides toads live — new species can emerge.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 13 Nov. 2025
Dr Michele Menegon, a coauthor and conservationist, warns that ongoing deforestation, mining, and climate change are putting these rare toads at serious risk.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toad
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Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025
Leptobrachella kungfu, or the Foshan leaf litter toad, has a small body size measuring about an inch long from snout to butt, according to the study.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2025
But when animal populations are divided by great distances or geographic barriers — which is the case in many of the forest habitats where Nectophrynoides toads live — new species can emerge.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 13 Nov. 2025
Dr Michele Menegon, a coauthor and conservationist, warns that ongoing deforestation, mining, and climate change are putting these rare toads at serious risk.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toad
Cite this Entry
“Toad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toad. Accessed 25 Dec. 2025.
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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