Meaning & use

lad

noun·Everyday

A boy or young man, especially used informally in British English.

See it in a sentence

The old fisherman had trained every local lad who wanted to learn the trade.

Come on then, lads, let's get the equipment loaded before it rains.

A note on using this word

Lad is common in British and Irish English, often used affectionately or as a casual form of address; it sounds noticeably informal in American English.

Words with a similar meaning

boyyoung man

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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