dad bod
noun
plural dad bods
informal
: a physique regarded as typical of an average father
especially
: one that is slightly overweight and not extremely muscular
"… I am not going to have a belly. I think I have too much ego to have a dad bod—even though I'm a dad. …" —
Marlon Wayans
Marlon Wayans If the proud owner of a dad bod were to write a guidebook on how to achieve this sought after physique—somewhat muscular, but with some extra flesh and a belly—what should it be titled? —TheWeek.com
TheWeek.com The "dad bod" became the hot new look. Even Hollywood latched onto the more attainable physique with actors sporting bodies that were not chiseled, not incredibly lean, and a little soft in the middle. —Abby Eden
Abby Eden Examples of dad bod in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Is Stl too family friendly, these older guys start families here and give in to the dad bod life maybe a bit?
—Jeremy Rutherford, The Athletic, 5 Feb. 2025
Or is no amount of money worth a dad bod and eyebags?
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Exercise and diet For most men, an hour or two of strength training a week is enough to push back against the dad bod, Schoenfeld says.
—Ian McMahan, Washington Post, 7 July 2024
Middle-aged men with dad bods have joined home defense units, patrolling in golf carts, militarizing what were once suburban neighborhoods.
—William Booth, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
This Father’s Day, actress Jennifer Lopez revealed on social media that her husband, Ben Affleck, does not have a dad bod.
—Kate Armanini, BostonGlobe.com, 19 June 2023
In the first scene, Purves’s Falstaff is shown not as the usual gorging grotesque in a fat suit, but as a careful master chef, sensitively relishing his creations — and with, at best, a dad bod.
—New York Times, 12 July 2021
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.
Jeremy Rutherford, The Athletic, 5 Feb. 2025
Or is no amount of money worth a dad bod and eyebags?
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Exercise and diet For most men, an hour or two of strength training a week is enough to push back against the dad bod, Schoenfeld says.
—Ian McMahan, Washington Post, 7 July 2024
Middle-aged men with dad bods have joined home defense units, patrolling in golf carts, militarizing what were once suburban neighborhoods.
—William Booth, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
This Father’s Day, actress Jennifer Lopez revealed on social media that her husband, Ben Affleck, does not have a dad bod.
—Kate Armanini, BostonGlobe.com, 19 June 2023
In the first scene, Purves’s Falstaff is shown not as the usual gorging grotesque in a fat suit, but as a careful master chef, sensitively relishing his creations — and with, at best, a dad bod.
—New York Times, 12 July 2021
Dictionary Entries Near dad bod
Cite this Entry
“Dad bod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dad%20bod. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share