How to Use tread in a Sentence

tread

1 of 2 verb
  • Don't tread on the grass.
  • They slowly trod back to the camp.
  • Countless footsteps have trodden a path to their door.
  • There is one common area where men may want to tread lightly.
    Bill Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Dec. 2022
  • Very much like last year, the market just treads water.
    Michael Considine, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
  • My last chance to tread the boards had fizzled, the footlights shut down, and why not?
    Cynthia Ozick, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2022
  • Musk must tread carefully not to be viewed as pushing his lenders to leave.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2022
  • Men tread the stone floors and old-world rugs in interesting shoes.
    Nathan Heller, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2022
  • But the whole point of a dark sky area is to tread lightly, and bears like peace and quiet, too.
    Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 3 July 2022
  • As with all top pick lists, investors should tread carefully.
    Jon Markman, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2022
  • That’s not a path many startups have trodden before.
    Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Bobrovsky should still have tread on the tires, and maybe last season was an anomaly.
    Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • The best teams tend to dominate at home, while treading water on the road.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 16 Jan. 2024
  • Adler had fallen off the wakeboard and was treading water when hit.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Hayes isn’t the only one who has made it, yet still treads carefully with their money.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The track treads with a cautious cadence through its first verse and refrain, then pauses.
    Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Investors may want to tread lightly, certain cracks are starting to emerge.
    Fred Imbert, CNBC, 22 June 2026
  • Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, seems to be treading that path.
    Lawrence Ulrich, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2024
  • The pathway to long-term power is easiest to tread during a time of war.
    Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
  • But why did Trump go where every other leader had declined to tread?
    David Frum, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Liverpool have already been treading a fine line.
    Andy Jones, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Always carry slippers or flip-flops for treading on carpets, a haven for dirt and mildew.
    Andrea Sachs, Anchorage Daily News, 22 July 2023
  • But the Bulls must still tread lightly and not overpay with a long-term investment.
    Jason Patt, Forbes, 10 Aug. 2022
  • Going against the grain will leave you treading water instead of making progress.
    Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024
  • The artists tread a thin tightrope between two very different kinds of discipline.
    Celia Wren, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2024
  • Where one conglomerate plunges, others will soon tread.
    Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025
  • The leopard’s paws, covered in thick fur, can tread on jagged surfaces and act as perfect snowshoes.
    Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 6 Feb. 2024
  • Even in the 21st century, there are places on the planet where few people tread.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
  • His two other kids were still with him, though, struggling to tread water and stay alive under the beating sun.
    Suzan Haidamous, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2022
  • Stocks treaded water Monday; read the full markets roundup here.
    WSJ, 7 Mar. 2023

tread

2 of 2 noun
  • The treads of the tires were badly worn.
  • Is the tread still good on my snow boots?
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
  • The flat board that your foot steps on is called a tread.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 3 Jan. 2026
  • The tire should have a 3/16' tread depth.
    Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Short, steep climbs, rocky tread, and tight turns mean those miles feel long.
    Tim Neville, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
  • If needed, tread water and call for help.
    Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026
  • Motorists should check the pressure and tread depth on their tires.
    Jake Allen, The Indianapolis Star, 22 Dec. 2022
  • Put your best foot forward with a heavy-tread winter boot that will ground you.
    Kat Irlin, Marie Claire, 9 Nov. 2021
  • The front nose of each tread must be the exact same distance from the edge of the stringer.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 3 Jan. 2026
  • When to ask about compensation can be a tricky path to tread.
    Emilia Benton, SELF, 8 Nov. 2021
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2026
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2026
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2026
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 31 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tread.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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