wade

1 of 2

verb

waded; wading

intransitive verb

1
: to step in or through a medium (such as water) offering more resistance than air
2
: to move or proceed with difficulty or labor
wade through the crowd
wade through all the evidence
3
: to set to work or attack with determination or vigor
used with in or into
wade into a task

transitive verb

: to pass or cross by wading
wadable adjective
or wadeable

wade

2 of 2

noun

: an act of wading
a wade in the brook

Examples of wade in a Sentence

Verb We waded into the ocean. I jumped off the boat and waded back to shore. Police waded into the crowd. We waded through the crowded bus station. It took several weeks to wade through all the evidence. We waded our way through the crowd.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Pros of Lawn Subscription Services Convenience: With DIY subscription services, there's no more heading to the garden center to wade through all the lawn care products to find the right ones. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2025 The three girls are then separated, and each experience different hallucinations: Van is back inside the cabin and warms herself in front of the fireplace, Akilah wanders through the forest and communicates with a talking llama, and Shauna spots her son while wading through the lake. Michaela Zee, Variety, 22 Feb. 2025 This is a world of untamed wilderness, home to hippos that wade through the reeds, fish eagles that circle overhead and fishermen who paddle their dugout canoes with a cautious eye on the water. Scott Travers, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025 President Trump said on Wednesday that the federal government should take over Washington, D.C., wading into the decades-old and divisive issue of how the nation’s capital is run. Qasim Nauman, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wade

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English wadan; akin to Old High German watan to go, wade, Latin vadere to go

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1665, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wade was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Wade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wade. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

wade

verb
ˈwād
waded; wading
1
: to step in or through a substance (as water, mud, or sand) that is thicker than air
2
a
: to move or proceed slowly or with difficulty
wade through a dull book
b
: to attack or work energetically
waded into their chores
3
: to pass or cross by wading
wade a stream

More from Merriam-Webster on wade

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