Meaning & use
a tad
Last updated
Meanings
adverbinformal
Slightly; a little.
Grammar: Used before adjectives or adverbs: 'a tad late', 'a tad too much'. Not used before nouns.
Patterns
- a tad + adjective
- a tad too + adjective
The soup is a tad spicy for me.
He arrived a tad late to the meeting.
That jacket is a tad too expensive.
pronounsingularinformal
A small amount; a little bit.
Grammar: Used like a pronoun: 'a tad of something' or just 'a tad'. Often in the phrase 'a tad of'.
Patterns
- a tad of something
- just a tad
Could I have just a tad of sugar in my tea?
I'm feeling a tad of nervousness before the exam.
Add a tad more salt to the sauce.
Common combinations
- a tad late
- Sorry I'm a tad late.
- a tad too much
- You put a tad too much pepper in the soup.
- just a tad
- I'm just a tad tired today.
- a tad more
- Can you turn the music up a tad more?
Synonyms and how they differ
- a bit
- Very similar and also informal, but 'a bit' is more common in British English and can be used before nouns more freely.
- slightly
- More formal and neutral; 'a tad' is more conversational and often sounds softer or humorous.
- a little
- Neutral and can be used in most situations; 'a tad' is more informal and often used for small, noticeable amounts.
Commonly confused: a tad or tadpole?
a tad vs tadpole
A tadpole is a young frog or toad, not related to 'a tad' meaning a little.
Practice
Choose the sentence where 'a tad' fits best.
Choose one answer.
'A tad' means slightly and is used before adjectives like 'hot'. The other sentences use it incorrectly before nouns or in fixed phrases.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a tad”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.