Meaning & use
tad
Last updated
UK/tæd/
US/tæd/
Meaning
nounsingularinformal
A very small amount or degree, used to make a statement sound milder.
Grammar: Almost always in the phrase a tad, followed by an adjective or of: a tad late, a tad of salt.
Patterns
- a tad + adjective
- a tad of something
- a tad more/less
The soup needs a tad more salt.
I thought the movie was a tad too long.
Could you move over a tad so I can sit down?
Common combinations
- a tad late
- We arrived a tad late, but the show had not started.
- a tad too much
- That perfume is a tad too much for the office.
- a tad more
- Add a tad more water to the dough.
- a tad expensive
- The dress was lovely but a tad expensive.
- a tad bit
- I'm a tad bit nervous about the interview.
Synonyms and how they differ
- slightly
- Slightly works in any register, but a tad is more casual and chatty.
- a bit
- A bit is just as informal, though it can be a little larger in quantity than a tad.
- a touch
- A touch is a bit more polished, so it suits written or polite speech better than tad.
- a smidgen
- A smidgen is about the same size but sounds more playful and is used mainly for small amounts of things.
Opposites
a lota great deal
Commonly confused: tad or tab?
tad vs tab
A tab is a small flap, a bill or a browser page, and it is not used to mean a small amount.
Practice
The jacket is ______ too big for me, but I will keep it.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is a tad, meaning slightly, placed before an adjective. The other forms are not used in English.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tad”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.