crawdad

noun

craw·​dad ˈkrȯ-ˌdad How to pronounce crawdad (audio)
: crayfish sense 1
—used chiefly west of the Appalachians

Examples of crawdad in a Sentence

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.
They're also known as craydids, crawdads, and rock lobsters, and they're found in swamps, rivers, and lakes. — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 8 May 2026 How Gibson likes to cook his crawdads is by taking the time to season the inside of the shell, because that’s where the meat is. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Feb. 2026 It’s also hosted an annual crawdad festival each summer that draws thousands of tourists. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2025 Much of my summer breaks from school were spent digging for crawdads under creek rocks and tubing lazily down the Oconaluftee River. — Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for crawdad

Word History

Etymology

alteration of crawfish

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crawdad was in 1878

Rhymes for crawdad

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Browse Nearby Words

craw
crawdad
crawfish
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Cite this Entry

“Crawdad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crawdad. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crawdad

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crawdad

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