plural parades
1
a
: a public procession (see procession entry 1 sense 1a) usually to mark a holiday or event
… the Halloween parade is open to all city boys and girls 12 years and younger wearing costumes. … Participants will receive a free trick-or-treat bag and candy along the parade route …—
The Springfield (Massachusetts) Morning Union
The Springfield (Massachusetts) Morning UnionMay 30th was Memorial Day, when Americans remember those who died serving in the armed forces. … Soldiers and sailors marched in parades honouring the fallen.—The Economist
The Economist
especially
: one involving many different people or groups who travel down a street usually on foot or in vehicles (such as floats)
Pinta and her family planned the parade that featured more than 90 groups, organizations and politicians. —Windy City Times (Chicago)
Windy City Times (Chicago) Approximately 50 parade entries include marching bands, celebrities, community groups, public officials and fire/police vehicles. —Ivy Weiss
Ivy Weiss … over 25,000 people dress extravagantly, from colorful bikinis with feathers to … gowns, while performing in steel bands and dance groups on the elaborately decorated floats that form the official parade. —Marthe van der Wolf
Marthe van der Wolf The parade will feature spectacular flower-covered floats with riders in colorful costumes, beautiful dresses and striking uniforms. —San Antonio Magazine
San Antonio Magazine
b
: a usually long series of people or things
… the American people watched a parade of witnesses expose the details of a political crime …—Karen De Witt
Karen De WittThe movie does have one campy casting conceit: a parade of cameos by stars of old TV Western series …—David Hiltbrand
David HiltbrandOur antipasto was a parade of little dishes containing black olives, fresh sheep cheeses, … and prosciutto.—Robert Riche
Robert Riche((British)) … went to see the new street art, which is on the … end of a parade of shops …—Tim Lewis
Tim Lewis2
a
: the ceremonial formation of a body of troops before a superior officer
Handcrafted reproductions of miniature 18th-century tin soldiers, … these Austrian horsemen assume dramatic poses of battle and parade.—The Smithsonian Catalog
The Smithsonian Catalog
b
: a place where troops assemble regularly for parade
3
: a pompous show : exhibition
The male booby may walk around using exaggerated, deliberate-looking leg movements, displaying his bright-blue legs and feet. Actually his parade is closer to the pick 'em up and put 'em down gait of … scuba divers.—Michael H. Robinson
Michael H. Robinson4
a
: a place for strolling (such as a public walk or square)
b
: those who promenade
paraded; parading
1
: to march in or as if in a procession
2
3
a
: show off
b
: masquerade
myths which parade as modern science—M. R. Cohen
M. R. Cohen
parader
noun
Synonyms
Examples of parade in a Sentence
Noun
the annual Thanksgiving Day parade
After the team won the championship, the city threw a parade for them.
The town will put on a parade.
The marching band lined up for the homecoming parade.
Verb
The team and its fans paraded down the street.
Protesters paraded in front of City Hall.
The models paraded up and down the runway.
She paraded around on the beach in her bikini.
The victors paraded the prisoners through the streets.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 11 Nov. 2024
The Irish theater company had previously staged a yearly Halloween parade in Dublin beginning in 2013, but there was none planned for this year, per The Independent.
—Abigail Adams, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Sakshi Venkatraman, NBC News, 11 Nov. 2024
Westbrook paraded out to the scene of the crime and pointed to the other end of the floor, gleefully mimicking the foul call himself.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for parade 
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.
Noun
San Jose’s Veterans Day parade, set to start at noon, will go on, rain or shine.
—Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 11 Nov. 2024
The Irish theater company had previously staged a yearly Halloween parade in Dublin beginning in 2013, but there was none planned for this year, per The Independent.
—Abigail Adams, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
Many messy-haired brown men put forth their faces for judgment: singing, dancing and parading themselves in front of the massive crowd of screaming girls.
—Sakshi Venkatraman, NBC News, 11 Nov. 2024
Westbrook paraded out to the scene of the crime and pointed to the other end of the floor, gleefully mimicking the foul call himself.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for parade
Articles Related to parade
Dictionary Entries Near parade
Cite this Entry
“Parade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parade. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
parade
1 of 2 noun
pa·rade
pə-ˈrād 
1
: great show or display
2
: a formation of a body of troops before a superior officer
3
: a public procession
4
: a crowd of strolling people
the Easter parade
parade
2 of 2 verb
paraded; parading
1
a
: to cause to march
b
: to march in a parade
3
: show off sense 1
parade one's knowledge
parader
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share