Pad — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈpad/

Meaning & Definition of Pad

Pad (noun)

  1. a thin flat mat or cushion
  2. a guard worn to shield body parts against impact
  3. sanitary napkin, menstrual pad
  4. a soft muffled or slapping sound
  5. path
  6. a horse that moves along at an easy pace
  7. footpad

Pad (verb)

  1. to furnish with a pad or padding
  2. mute, muffle
  3. to expand or increase especially with needless, misleading, or fraudulent matter —often used with out
  4. to traverse on foot
  5. to go on foot, walk; especially, to walk with or as if with padded feet

Pad (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a number of sheets of writing paper glued together at one edge

    "the waitress keeps a pad in the pocket of her apron to write down orders"

    similar: notepad, tablet
    related: scratch pad, album, notebook, scrapbook, booklet, pamphlet

  2. a place set aside for sleeping

    "I went back to my pad to get some rest"

    similar: bed, bunk, doss (chiefly British), hay (slang), kip, lair (British dialect), rack, sack
    related: bedstead, futon, mattress, pallet, bunk bed, cot, couch, daybed, feather bed, four-poster, hammock, Murphy bed, shakedown, sleigh bed, sofa, sofa bed, studio couch, trundle bed, water bed, bassinet, carry-cot (British), cradle, crib

  3. something that serves as a protective barrier

    "a pad on the chair to keep it from getting scratched"

    similar: buffer, bumper, cocoon, cushion, cushioning, fender
    related: baffle, muffler, padding, safeguard, shield, barricade, cordon

  4. the place where one lives

    "welcome to my pad"

    similar: abode, diggings, domicile, dwelling, fireside, habitation, hearth, hearthstone, home, house, lodging, place, quarters, residence, roof
    related: accommodations, housing, nest, residency, shelter, bungalow, cabin, casita, chalet, cottage, duplex, ranch, ranch house, saltbox, semi (chiefly British), split level, townhome, town house, tract house, triplex, apartment, apartment house, condo, condominium, flat, tenement, tenement house, walk-up, penthouse, salon, suite, barracks, billet, boardinghouse, dorm, dormitory, flophouse, lodging house, lodgment, room(s), rooming house, castle, château, countryseat, estate, hall, manor, manor house, mansion, McMansion, palace, villa, farmhouse, grange, hacienda, homestead, double-wide, houseboat, house trailer, mobile home, motor home, recreational vehicle, RV, trailer, hermitage, manse, parsonage, rectory, vicarage, hooch (slang), hovel, hut, hutch, shack, shanty

Pad (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to add to the interest of by including made-up details

    "the journalist was fired for padding certain stories to make them more interesting"

    similar: color, elaborate (on), embellish, embroider, exaggerate, hyperbolize, magnify, stretch
    related: dress up, gussy up, amplify, enhance, enlarge (on or upon), expand, flesh (out), fudge, hedge, overdo, overdraw, overemphasize, overplay, overstate, emphasize, play up, stress, caricature, satirize
    near: belittle, minimize, play down, understate

  2. to go on foot

    "a cat padded silently by"

    similar: ambulate, foot (it), hoof (it), leg (it), step, traipse, tread, walk
    related: parade, promenade, march, pace, step out, stride, troop, power walk, hike, peregrinate, trek, amble, mosey, perambulate, ramble, saunter, stroll, wander, clump, stomp, stump, tramp, trample, tromp, footslog, plod, trudge, gimp, hobble, limp, mince, prance, pussyfoot, tiptoe, bounce, sashay, stalk, strut, swagger, falter, lumber, lurch, pound, scuff, shamble, shuffle, stagger, stumble, toddle, waddle, nip, tap, trip, trot

Related Entry: Crash pad (noun)

Crash pad is a different word from Pad. The synonyms below are for crash pad, not for pad.

  1. as in shelter, accommodation

    similar: accommodation, lodging, lodgment, berth, shelter

Related Entry: Scratch pad (noun)

Scratch pad is a different word from Pad. The synonyms below are for scratch pad, not for pad.

  1. as in pad, notebook

    similar: notepad, pad, tablet, album, notebook, scrapbook, booklet, pamphlet

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Pad

The most common words with a similar meaning to Pad:

Chiefly British: doss
Slang: hay
British dialect: lair
notepad, tablet, bed, bunk, kip, rack, sack, buffer, bumper, cocoon, cushion, cushioning, fender, abode, diggings, domicile, dwelling, fireside, habitation, hearth, hearthstone, home, house, lodging, place, quarters, residence, roof, color, elaborate (on), embellish, embroider, exaggerate, hyperbolize, magnify, stretch, ambulate, foot (it), hoof (it), leg (it)

Related Words for Pad

scratch pad, album, notebook, scrapbook, booklet, pamphlet, bedstead, futon, mattress, pallet, bunk bed, cot, couch, daybed, feather bed, four-poster, hammock, Murphy bed, shakedown, sleigh bed, sofa, sofa bed, studio couch, trundle bed, water bed, bassinet, carry-cot, cradle, crib, baffle

Near Antonyms of Pad

belittle, minimize, play down, understate

Word Forms of Pad

Inflections: pads, padded, padding

Origin & Etymology of Pad

origin unknown

First known use: 1554

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Pad

Words & Phrases Containing Pad

pad thai, crash pad, game pad, legal pad, lily pad

Frequently Asked Questions about Pad

What does "Pad" mean?

"Pad" means a thin flat mat or cushion. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a thin flat mat or cushion. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Pad"?

Other words for "Pad" include notepad, tablet, bed, bunk, doss, hay, kip and lair. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Pad" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Pad"?

There are 231 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Pad". Common alternatives include notepad, tablet, bed, bunk, doss, hay, kip, lair, rack and sack.

How do you use "Pad" in a sentence?

Examples of "Pad" in a sentence: "the waitress keeps a pad in the pocket of her apron to write down orders"; "I went back to my pad to get some rest"; "a pad on the chair to keep it from getting scratched".

Is "Pad" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Pad" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Pad" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Pad" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Pad"?

"Pad" is pronounced /ˈpad/.

What is the origin of the word "Pad"?

"Pad" comes from origin unknown. First known use: 1554.