Definition of wad
1 : a small mass, bundle, or tuft: such asa : a soft mass especially of a loose fibrous material variously used (as to stop an aperture, pad a garment, or hold grease around an axle)b (1) : a soft plug used to retain a powder charge or to avoid windage especially in a muzzle-loading gun (2) : a felt or paper disk used to separate the components of a shotgun cartridgec : a small mass of a chewing substance a wad of gum
2 : a considerable amount (as of money)
3a : a roll of paper moneyb : money
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Examples of wad in a Sentence
He spent a wad on clothes.
a starlet who usually gets a big wad of publicity for her nonstop antics
Recent Examples of wad from the Web
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To alleviate her fears, McConnell has been waving big wads of cash under her nose.
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Fast forward to their flight, where Hay and his partner headed to the A380's bar, reportedly leaving their bag containing the wad of cash unattended for about 45 minutes.
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Mary Lou McLagan soaks paper and crushes it into a wad.
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Cons — Taking out a wad of cash isn’t the best idea, for safety reasons.
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Instead, the special election to replace Tom Price, now serving as secretary of Health and Human Services, has attracted national attention and wads of outside spending since becoming a referendum of sorts on President Trump’s broader agenda.
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In the confusion, Chloe is free to grab a shirt, but she is soon faced with another dilemma: steal the wad of cash left behind by the T-shirt dealer, or walk away.
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Beside that, directly in their walking path, her eyes picked out the yellow wad of latex.
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The wads of gum might fade or darken, or shrink and crack, which could be visually or conceptually pleasing to some viewers who consider the metamorphosis part of Colen’s aesthetic.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wad.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of wad
Middle English wadde, from Medieval Latin wadda
wad
Definition of wad
wadded
;wadding
transitive verb
1a : to insert a wad into wad a gunb : to hold in by a wad wad a bullet in a gun
2 : to form into a wad or wadding; especially : to roll or crush into a tight wad
3 : to stuff or line with some soft substance
wadder
nounExamples of wad in a Sentence
disgusted, she wadded up the paper and threw it in the wastebasket
First Known Use of wad
1579
WAD Defined for English Language Learners
wad
playDefinition of wad for English Language Learners
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: a small mass or ball of soft material
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: a thick roll or folded pile of paper money or papers
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: a large amount of money
wad
Definition of wad for English Language Learners
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: to crush or press (something, such as paper) into a small, tight ball
WAD Defined for Kids
Definition of wad for Students
1 : a small mass or lump of soft material a wad of tissues a wad of chewing gum
2 : a thick pile of folded money
Definition of wad for Students
wadded
;wadding
: to crush or press into a small tight mass
Learn More about wad
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See words that rhyme with wad Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for wad Spanish Central: Translation of wad Nglish: Translation of wad for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of wad for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wad
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