lad

noun

ˈlad How to pronounce lad (audio)
Synonyms of ladnext
1
: a male person of any age between early boyhood and maturity : boy, youth
2
: fellow, chap

Synonyms of lad

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Examples of lad in a Sentence

Life was hard when I was a lad. Well, lad, I hope you won't make the same mistake again! He's a good lad at heart. They can't treat us like that, can they, lads?!
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.
With a cast full of lads lads lads, The Husbands looks like a charmer. — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 13 Apr. 2026 Aussie Rules lads are almost clothed enough to enter a convenience store. — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 Jose, the Mexican lad who had ridden over from the ranch with Ivon, winked at me. — Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 23 Apr. 2026 And same with our young lad, Talha Akdogan, who plays my son, Pyteh. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for lad

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ladde

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lad was in the 14th century

Rhymes for lad

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Browse Nearby Words

lacy
lad
lad's-love
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Cite this Entry

“Lad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lad. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on lad

Nglish: Translation of lad for Spanish Speakers

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