Synonym Chooser

How is the word fad distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of fad are craze, fashion, mode, rage, style, and vogue. While all these words mean "the usage accepted by those who want to be up-to-date," fad suggests caprice in taking up or in dropping a fashion.

last year's fad is over

Where would fashion be a reasonable alternative to fad?

Although the words fashion and fad have much in common, fashion is the most general term and applies to any way of dressing, behaving, writing, or performing that is favored at any one time or place.

the current fashion

When might mode be a better fit than fad?

While the synonyms mode and fad are close in meaning, mode suggests the fashion of the moment among those anxious to appear elegant and sophisticated.

slim bodies are the mode at this resort

How are the words rage and craze related as synonyms of fad?

Both rage and craze stress intense enthusiasm in adopting a fad.

Cajun food was the rage nearly everywhere for a time
crossword puzzles once seemed just a passing craze but have lasted

When would style be a good substitute for fad?

The words style and fad are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, style often implies a distinctive fashion adopted by people of taste.

a media baron used to traveling in style

When can vogue be used instead of fad?

The meanings of vogue and fad largely overlap; however, vogue stresses the wide acceptance of a fashion.

short skirts are back in vogue

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fad This eating plan is considered a fad diet. Erica Sweeney, EverydayHealth.com, 25 Aug. 2025 Nowadays, social media is filled with fad diets and warnings about which ingredients or food items are better or more toxic than others. Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025 Some of the consumer interest in pressure cookers and multi-cookers has waned recently, but this cooking method shouldn’t be treated as a fad. Emily Johnson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025 Narrative podcasts couldn’t be written off as a fad. Eric Benson, Rolling Stone, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fad
Noun
  • The opening craze has calmed down.
    Anna Broughel, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Opendoor , recently at the center of a meme stock craze, was also one of retail investors' favorites heading into September.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Josh Blackman, a law professor at South Texas College of Law, said the trend is notable because many cases involve on-camera evidence that should be easily provable in a court of law.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Another key implication lies in the de-dollarization trend driven by Russian alignment with China.
    Earl Carr, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The latests deaths included three residents of long-term care facilities in Dallas, as well as a Balch Springs man in his 20s and a Dallas man in his 60s.
    Dana Branham, Dallas News, 30 Apr. 2020
  • That equates to more than 45 million Americans using CBD products, based on latest available U.S. Census estimates.
    Brendan Bures, chicagotribune.com, 2 Oct. 2019
Noun
  • Long before the video diary became the en vogue format of personal expression on YouTube and social media platforms like TikTok, Ross McElwee was America’s preeminent first-person filmmaker.
    Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Multiverse, based in Donostia, Spain, is working at the intersection of two of technology’s most in-vogue fields—AI and quantum computing.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • At least 19 people died in protests in Nepal’s capital and other cities, after rage over a social-media shutdown and corruption led to violent clashes between the police and young demonstrators.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Genius dazzles down the ages, but so do fits of rage.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fad. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on fad

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