1
: a small mass, bundle, or tuft: such as
a
: a soft mass especially of a loose fibrous material variously used (as to stop an aperture, pad a garment, or hold grease around an axle)
b(1)
: a soft plug used to retain a powder charge or to avoid windage especially in a muzzle-loading gun
(2)
: a felt or paper disk used to separate the components of a shotgun cartridge
c
: a small mass of a chewing substance
a wad of gum
2
: a considerable amount (as of money)
3
a
: a roll of paper money
b
: money
wadded; wadding
1
a
: to insert a wad into
wad a gun
b
: to hold in by a wad
wad a bullet in a gun
2
: to form into a wad or wadding
especially
: to roll or crush into a tight wad
3
: to stuff or line with some soft substance
wadder
noun
Examples of wad in a Sentence
Noun
He spent a wad on clothes.
a starlet who usually gets a big wad of publicity for her nonstop antics
Verb
she wadded up the paper and threw it in the wastebasket
Recent Examples on the Web
Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 3 Mar. 2025
In her first Sephora meeting, Gordon gives a merchant a wad of cash, along with an apology for shoplifting over the years.
—Brennan Kilbane, Allure, 11 Mar. 2025
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
In a locker room, cliches about teamwork and selflessness often fly around like the practice jerseys that are wadded up and tossed into massive piles atop rolling carts.
—David Aldridge, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for wad
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Noun
The Brutalist star Adrien Brody held a gold statue in his hands at Sunday night's Oscars, while his girlfriend, Georgina Chapman, watched from the audience with a wad of her husband's used chewing gum in hers.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 3 Mar. 2025
In her first Sephora meeting, Gordon gives a merchant a wad of cash, along with an apology for shoplifting over the years.
—Brennan Kilbane, Allure, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
Flaherty’s subjects allege that these facilities release addicts into the streets after weeks of nonexistent treatments and hand them wads of cash as a participation fee, knowing full well where that money is likely to be spent.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
In a locker room, cliches about teamwork and selflessness often fly around like the practice jerseys that are wadded up and tossed into massive piles atop rolling carts.
—David Aldridge, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for wad
Cite this Entry
“Wad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wad. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wad
1 of 2 noun1
: a small mass, bundle, or tuft
a wad of cotton
2
: a soft pad or plug used to hold a powder charge in a gun or cartridge
3
a
: a roll of paper money
b
: a large amount (as of money)
spent a wad on clothes
wad
2 of 2 verb
wadded; wadding
1
: to form into a wad or wadding
wad up a handkerchief
2
: to stuff or line with soft material
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