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 When the bubble burst, many concluded that the Internet was a passing fad. Steve Case, Time, 1 Apr. 2025 Other songwriters and musical fads came and went, but Sheeran continued to crank out ubiquitous hits, sometimes writing them on his own—a rarity in an era of ballooning songwriter credits. Andrew R. Chow, Time, 16 Apr. 2025 Like most beauty fads, however, the salmon sperm trend isn’t exactly backed by science. Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 21 Mar. 2025 Their comfortable feel, relaxed yet sophisticated look, and ability to adapt to different styles make the trend much more viable than other passing fads. Casandra Maggio, Glamour, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fad
Noun
  • Sports betting is an out-of-control craze among young men.
    Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur Launched in 2007, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur (20% ABV) surged to its highest popularity in the last two years as the spritz craze ran rampant.
    Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • In a world of evolving design trends, modular furniture is more than just a fleeting moment.
    Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2025
  • The incident reportedly led to one student going to the hospital due to smoke inhalation and is suspected to be connected to the viral trend.
    Ashley Belanger – May 9, ArsTechnica, 9 May 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
  • Could players who know how to win ugly but get results become in vogue?
    Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 15 May 2025
  • Mumford & Sons, Rushmere At a moment when folk-rock is back in vogue, Mumford & Sons, perhaps the movement’s biggest breakthrough act in the early 2010s, has returned with an album that gestures toward the band’s past while not abiding by its boundaries.
    Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Prosecutors say Read, 45, deliberately hit O’Keefe, 46, with her Lexus SUV in a drunken rage and left him for dead in January 2022.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 10 May 2025
  • So there’s a lot of rage from that, and rightfully so.
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fad. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

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