wad

1 of 2

noun

ˈwäd 

1

: a small mass, bundle, or tuft: such as

a

: 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 cartridge

c

: a small mass of a chewing substance

a wad of gum

2

: a considerable amount (as of money)

3

a

: a roll of paper money

b

: money

wad

2 of 2

verb

wadded; wadding

transitive verb

1

a

: to insert a wad into

wad a gun

b

: 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 noun

Synonyms

Noun

• loads
• ton
• plenty
• chunk
• dozen
• bunch
• pile
• slew
• deal
• lot
• bundle
• quantity
• stack
• wealth
• raft

Verb

• round
• roll
• ball

Examples of wad in a Sentence

Noun

He spent a wad on clothes.

a starlet who usually gets a big wad of publicity for her nonstop antics

Verb

she wadded up the paper and threw it in the wastebasket

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Go grab your passport, a wad of bail money, and enough thirst for wine that growls at history and food that tastes like the ocean punched you in the mouth. —John Noakes, Hartford Courant, 12 Aug. 2025

To the detriment of the proceedings late in the second act, there is a wad of exposition gristle that brings things full stop in the form of a labored revelation of why Diamond is such a grump and perhaps maybe won’t be one in the future. —Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 30 July 2025

Verb

People were bringing him fistfuls of cheap paper napkins to wad up right under his nose. —C. Mallon, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025

Dryer balls also help prevent the duvet from wadding up on one side of the machine. —Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 31 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English wadde, from Medieval Latin wadda

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for wad

• awed
• baaed
• baud
• bawd
• brod
• clawed
• cod
• flawed
• fraud
• gnawed
• god
• jawed

Kids Definition

wad

1 of 2 noun

ˈwäd 

1

: a small mass, bundle, or tuft

a wad of cotton

2

: a soft pad or plug used to hold a powder charge in a gun or cartridge

3

a

: a roll of paper money

b

: a large amount (as of money)

spent a wad on clothes

wad

2 of 2 verb

wadded; wadding

1

: to form into a wad or wadding

wad up a handkerchief

2

: to stuff or line with soft material