waded; wading
1
: to step in or through a medium (such as water) offering more resistance than air
2
: to move or proceed with difficulty or labor
wade through the crowd
wade through all the evidence
3
: to set to work or attack with determination or vigor
—used with in or into
wade into a task
: to pass or cross by wading
: an act of wading
a wade in the brook
Synonyms
Examples of wade in a Sentence
Verb
We waded into the ocean.
I jumped off the boat and waded back to shore.
Police waded into the crowd.
We waded through the crowded bus station.
It took several weeks to wade through all the evidence.
We waded our way through the crowd.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Gary Fowler, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
Learn More › When a big flathead bites your hand, your buddies wading nearby can feel the thump reverberate through the water.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 15 Nov. 2023
There are also financial considerations to wading in.
—Emma Goldberg, New York Times, 8 Nov. 2023
Kozinski thought the 5th Circuit’s conduct — and the federal courts’ unwillingness to wade into it — might provide a valuable test for AEDPA.
—Anat Rubin, ProPublica, 4 Nov. 2023
An Ecuadorian migrant family helps each other wade through the river in the wild and dangerous jungle on Nov. 20, 2022, in Darién Gap, Colombia.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 18 Oct. 2023
Introduction Nevertheless, Partch waded into the unknown and began to send back dispatches.
—Quanta Magazine, 10 Oct. 2023
Columnist Carolyn Hax has answered countless questions about how to wade through the complexities of estrangement.
—Haben Kelati, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023
Their wives then waded into the Thames and dragged them ashore, sometimes nobly heaving the wet flag back on deck so it could be used on the next fallen hero.
—Mike O’Brien, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2023
Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 28 Nov. 2023
When he’s finished in the goat sheds, Dr. Getachew wades into sewage ponds and drainage ditches with a dipper, looking for larval stephensi, which are easier to spot.
—Stephanie Nolen Tiksa Negeri, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023
Malti wades in the waves while wearing a white-and-gray striped onesie and a white sun hat.
—Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 2 Aug. 2023
Biden wades into disability rights case But there have also been high-profile scandals involving the litigation.
—John Fritze, USA TODAY, 14 Aug. 2023
Just like people, dogs get hot too, and cooling off with a nice wade in the pool can be quite appealing.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2023
As horse racing wades through its most notable five-week period of the year, there is one name that, as usual, dominates the conversation, that of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. OPINION Opinion: A map of 1,001 novels to show us where to find the real America.
—Elvia Limón, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2023
Once estimated to be worth $16 billion, Bankman-Fried has said his wealth has all but vanished, while the scores of investors who had held money on the exchange are trying to claw back their funds as FTX wades through Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
—Julian Mark, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2023
The Onion wades into legal case with parody Barrett:Who is Amy Coney Barrett?
—John Fritze, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2023
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Verb
Instead of wading through a maze of automated responses, you could instantly be connected to an AI tech guru or personal shopper, each familiar with your purchase history and communication style preferences.
—Gary Fowler, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
Learn More › When a big flathead bites your hand, your buddies wading nearby can feel the thump reverberate through the water.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 15 Nov. 2023
There are also financial considerations to wading in.
—Emma Goldberg, New York Times, 8 Nov. 2023
Kozinski thought the 5th Circuit’s conduct — and the federal courts’ unwillingness to wade into it — might provide a valuable test for AEDPA.
—Anat Rubin, ProPublica, 4 Nov. 2023
An Ecuadorian migrant family helps each other wade through the river in the wild and dangerous jungle on Nov. 20, 2022, in Darién Gap, Colombia.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 18 Oct. 2023
Introduction Nevertheless, Partch waded into the unknown and began to send back dispatches.
—Quanta Magazine, 10 Oct. 2023
Columnist Carolyn Hax has answered countless questions about how to wade through the complexities of estrangement.
—Haben Kelati, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023
Their wives then waded into the Thames and dragged them ashore, sometimes nobly heaving the wet flag back on deck so it could be used on the next fallen hero.
—Mike O’Brien, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2023
Noun
Scarpetta, who has been identifying killers across 27 books, wades into the supernatural in Unnatural Death.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 28 Nov. 2023
When he’s finished in the goat sheds, Dr. Getachew wades into sewage ponds and drainage ditches with a dipper, looking for larval stephensi, which are easier to spot.
—Stephanie Nolen Tiksa Negeri, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023
Malti wades in the waves while wearing a white-and-gray striped onesie and a white sun hat.
—Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 2 Aug. 2023
Biden wades into disability rights case But there have also been high-profile scandals involving the litigation.
—John Fritze, USA TODAY, 14 Aug. 2023
Just like people, dogs get hot too, and cooling off with a nice wade in the pool can be quite appealing.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2023
As horse racing wades through its most notable five-week period of the year, there is one name that, as usual, dominates the conversation, that of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. OPINION Opinion: A map of 1,001 novels to show us where to find the real America.
—Elvia Limón, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2023
Once estimated to be worth $16 billion, Bankman-Fried has said his wealth has all but vanished, while the scores of investors who had held money on the exchange are trying to claw back their funds as FTX wades through Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
—Julian Mark, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2023
The Onion wades into legal case with parody Barrett:Who is Amy Coney Barrett?
—John Fritze, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Old English wadan; akin to Old High German watan to go, wade, Latin vadere to go
First Known Use
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun
1665, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of wade was
in the 13th century
Dictionary Entries Near wade
Cite this Entry
“Wade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wade. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
wade
verbˈwād
waded; wading
1
: to step in or through a substance (as water, mud, or sand) that is thicker than air
2
a
: to move or proceed slowly or with difficulty
wade through a dull book
b
: to attack or work energetically
waded into their chores
3
: to pass or cross by wading
wade a stream
More from Merriam-Webster on wade
Nglish: Translation of wade for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of wade for Arabic Speakers
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