tread 1 of 2

verb

ˈtred How to pronounce tread (audio)
Definition of treadnext
as in to walk
to go on foot to protect the fragile environment of the beach dunes, we must tread cautiously and lightly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

tread

2 of 2

noun

as in footstep

Related Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tread
Verb
Experts caution, as the Oracle announcement illustrates, that investors should tread carefully, as with any new asset class and especially one often associated with institutional buyers. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 Trump treads carefully The leaders last met in Beijing just four months ago, and could meet twice more later this year. — Aamer Madhani, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Noun
Instead, when a tire runs out of tread, drivers will have to buy the alternative, which are more expensive. — Tom Wait, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 However, the regulations include multiple exceptions for specific types of tires, such as spare tires, motorcycle tires and deep-tread tires. — Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tread
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tread
  1. walk
  2. footstep
  3. path
  4. footprint
  5. trail
  6. print
  7. step
  8. rut
Verb
  • In September, two girls from Skyview High protested by walking off the start line after the gun went off, and last week, about a dozen of his own teammates did the same thing.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The spirit company’s Instagram page shared a video of the moment people realized who their special guest was and began freaking out when Jenner walked in unannounced.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of walk
Noun
  • Maria was also, evidently, happy to advise those who wanted to follow in her footsteps.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Following in his brother’s footsteps, Wayne led Smyrna High to a state 3A title game and earned his third consecutive All-State selection in his senior season.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of footstep
Noun
  • Plans also incorporate a 10-foot-wide paved side path along the school side of the corridor, providing a separated walking and biking trail.
    — Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Baltzor, and hired riders, had to hoof it through heavy smoke into the mountains to extract their cattle from the path of the fires.
    — Anna King, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of path
Noun
  • With Russia and China increasing their footprint and ambition, the Arctic has become a front line of global power competition.
    — Lee Ying Shan,Matthew Tan, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Its footprint would span 1,650 acres—more than 1,000 football fields.
    — Ryan Green, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of footprint
Noun
  • In January 2024, a landslide above the railroad sent soil and debris crashing onto the tracks at Mariposa Point, destroying the city’s pedestrian bridge and beach trail and temporarily interrupting rail service.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Every change was recorded in the subscription history, giving support a clear billing trail.
    — Kashif Saleem, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of trail
Noun
  • For the second round of celebrations on Saturday evening, Drake traded his debonair tuxedo for a cheetah-print Chrome Hearts jacket and bright red leather trousers.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Those were taken out of the story because of the vast colorways and prints available in the other picks in this list, but AD editors still stand behind the quality.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of print
Noun
  • The other two, Descript and Resemble AI, had taken steps to make nonconsensual cloning harder.
    — Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The first step will be to clarify what people need and organize the delivery of food, medicine, hygiene products and other essentials, Lantratova said in an online statement.
    — BEN FINLEY, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of step
Noun
  • Hunt the Rut The very best time to hunt from the ground is when the rut is at its peak.
    — Colin Moore, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The housing market has been stuck in a rut this year in large part because of rising mortgage rates, which can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing power and prompting many to put off buying a home.
    — Alex Veiga, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of rut

Browse Nearby Words

treachery
tread
treading
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tread. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All