as in courtyards
an open space wholly or partly enclosed (as by buildings or walls)
the quad was the college's time-honored site for protests and celebrations
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Recent Examples of quads
Kagiyama has a mere four quads planned for his free skate Friday night.
—
Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
Both traditional squats and chair squats help increase lower-body strength (primarily in the quads, glutes, and hips).
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 11 Feb. 2026
Another outlier is Nathan Chen, who landed five quads in one program at the 2022 Olympics and took home the gold.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 9 Feb. 2026
Read a book and sip tea in front of the central fireplace, swim between the indoor and outdoor sections of the glimmering pool, and soak your aching quads in the hot tubs under the evergreens and aspens while listening to the peaceful babble of Gore Creek.
—Sarah Kuta, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
These lunges target the glutes rather than the quads.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 5 Feb. 2026
Malinin, just 17, landed four quads.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
Even mountaineering training guidance includes step-up exercises to help prime the glutes and quads for intense uphill climbs with a load on your back.
—Outside, 31 Jan. 2026
Still, other Coppin State runners gawked at his broad chest, bulging biceps and thick quads.
—Tyler Jett, Des Moines Register, 21 Jan. 2026
Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
Both traditional squats and chair squats help increase lower-body strength (primarily in the quads, glutes, and hips).
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 11 Feb. 2026
Another outlier is Nathan Chen, who landed five quads in one program at the 2022 Olympics and took home the gold.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 9 Feb. 2026
Read a book and sip tea in front of the central fireplace, swim between the indoor and outdoor sections of the glimmering pool, and soak your aching quads in the hot tubs under the evergreens and aspens while listening to the peaceful babble of Gore Creek.
—Sarah Kuta, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
These lunges target the glutes rather than the quads.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 5 Feb. 2026
Malinin, just 17, landed four quads.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
Even mountaineering training guidance includes step-up exercises to help prime the glutes and quads for intense uphill climbs with a load on your back.
—Outside, 31 Jan. 2026
Still, other Coppin State runners gawked at his broad chest, bulging biceps and thick quads.
—Tyler Jett, Des Moines Register, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quads
Noun
-
Another unique dining experience awaits at The Garlic, a rustic and eclectic compound with lush, winding courtyards and nightly entertainment to complement the extensive Italian menu.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Fans could previously wed at courtyards and ballrooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, at the Disneyland Hotel ballroom, in the Fantasyland Faire Garden and at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle Forecourt.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There, visitors come across soaring mosaics made from tiny golden tiles, murals of horses and sandy indoor quadrangles with palm trees sprouting up under vaulted ceilings.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
By day the place was filled with different sorts of tombstones, many of them inside ornamental enclosures.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
In a shift from, say, the Safari Park’s popular tram tour, there are no fences and visible enclosures.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Opportunistic feeders, grackles have always liked Texas school campuses, bird feeders, hamburger stands, shopping centers anchored by grocery stores and eateries with patios that somehow turn into on-demand grackle buffets.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
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Look for a location with spring weather that begs for time on patios, in the pool, on the golf course, pedaling on a bike, or soaking up beauty on or along the water.—
Karla Walsh,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This list includes invasive species that spread across the landscape, smothering everything in their path (like kudzu, of course), as well as fast-growing native species, like trumpet vine and Virginia creeper, which spread quickly and can become a nuisance in yards and gardens.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
19 Feb. 2026
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At the Degemar quarries, drilled down to 30 meters (yards) under sea level, bright blue ponds of sulfur springs pool the travertine residue as flat-bed trucks haul stone slabs weighing 33 tons up to street level.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quads. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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