plural wads
1
: a small mass or ball of soft material
—usually + of
Wads of crumpled paper littered the floor.
She spit a wad of gum into the trash.
a wad of cotton
2
a
: a thick roll or folded pile of paper money or papers
—usually + of
She pulled a wad of $20 bills out of her pocket.
a wad of cash
b
US, informal
: a large amount of money
He spent a wad on clothes.
They have wads of cash. [=lots of money]
wads; wadded; wadding
chiefly US
: to crush or press (something, such as paper) into a small, tight ball
—usually + up
He wadded up the paper and threw it in the trash.
The sweater was wadded up in the bottom of the backpack.
Cite this Entry
“Wad.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/wad. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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