Illustration of toad
- toad 1
1
: any of numerous anuran amphibians (especially family Bufonidae) that are distinguished from the related frogs by being more terrestrial in habit though returning to water to lay their eggs, by having a build that is squatter and shorter with weaker and shorter hind limbs, and by having skin that is rough, dry, and warty rather than smooth and moist
2
: a contemptible person or thing
Synonyms
- bastard
- beast
- bleeder [British]
- blighter [chiefly British]
- boor
- bounder
- bugger
- buzzard
- cad
- chuff
- churl
- clown
- creep
- cretin
- crud [slang]
- crumb [slang]
- cur
- dirtbag [slang]
- dog
- fink
- heel
- hound
- jerk
- joker
- louse
- lout
- pill
- rat
- rat fink
- reptile
- rotter
- schmuck [slang]
- scum
- scumbag [slang]
- scuzzball [slang]
- skunk
- sleaze
- sleazebag [slang]
- sleazeball [slang]
- slime
- slimeball [slang]
- slob
- snake
- so-and-so
- sod [chiefly British]
- stinkard
- stinker
- swine
- varmint
- vermin
Examples of toad in a Sentence
He's such a mean little toad.
that miserable toad is lucky to have even a single friend
Recent Examples on the Web
The ants then swarmed the toads, killing half of them almost instantly.
—
Discover Magazine, 14 Oct. 2024
The cane toad is a perfect example of this phenomenon.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024
This can include snakes, salamanders, box turtles, toads and rodents.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024
Birds, box turtles, salamanders, toads, frogs, and scores of beloved invertebrates such as fireflies, bees, butterflies, and moths, all rely on leaf litter for shelter.
—Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for toad 
Discover Magazine, 14 Oct. 2024
The cane toad is a perfect example of this phenomenon.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024
This can include snakes, salamanders, box turtles, toads and rodents.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024
Birds, box turtles, salamanders, toads, frogs, and scores of beloved invertebrates such as fireflies, bees, butterflies, and moths, all rely on leaf litter for shelter.
—Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for toad
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toad.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Toad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toad. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
toad
noun
: any of numerous tailless leaping amphibians that lay their eggs in water and are distinguished from the related frogs by living on land more often, by having a build that is shorter and thicker with weaker and shorter hind limbs, and by having skin that is rough, dry and warty rather than smooth and moist
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