parade

American  

[puh-reyd] / pəˈreɪd /

noun

1. a large public procession, usually including a marching band and often of a festive nature, held in honor of an anniversary, person, event, etc.

2. a military ceremony involving the formation and marching of troop units, often combined with saluting the lowering of the flag at the end of the day.

3. the assembly of troops for inspection or display.

4. a place where troops regularly assemble for inspection or display.

5. a continual passing by, as of people, objects, or events.

   the parade of pedestrians past the office; the parade of the seasons.

6. an ostentatious display.

   to make a parade of one's religious beliefs.

7. Chiefly British.

   1. a group or procession of promenaders.

   2. a promenade.

8. Fortification. the level space forming the interior or enclosed area of a fortification.

9. Fencing. a parry.

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verb (used with object)

paraded, parading

1. to walk up and down on or in.

2. to make parade of; display ostentatiously.

   Synonyms:

   flourish, flaunt, show

   Antonyms:

   conceal

3. to cause to march or proceed for display.

verb (used without object)

paraded, parading

1. to march in a procession.

2. to promenade in a public place, especially in order to show off.

3. to assemble in military order for display.

4. to assume a false or misleading appearance.

   international pressure that parades as foreign aid.

parade British  

/ pəˈreɪd /

noun

1. an ordered, esp ceremonial, march, assembly, or procession, as of troops being reviewed

   on parade

2. Also called: parade ground.  a place where military formations regularly assemble

3. a visible show or display

   to make a parade of one's grief

4. a public promenade or street of shops

5. a successive display of things or people

6. the interior area of a fortification

7. a parry in fencing

8. to hinder someone's enjoyment; upset someone's plans

9. 1. on display

   2. showing oneself off

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verb

1. to walk or march, esp in a procession (through)

   to parade the streets

2. (tr) to exhibit or flaunt

   he was parading his medals

3. (tr) to cause to assemble in formation, as for a military parade

4. (intr) to walk about in a public place

parade Idioms  

1. see hit parade; rain on one's parade.

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Other Word Forms

• paradeful adjective
• paradeless adjective
• paradelike adjective
• parader noun
• paradingly adverb
• unparaded adjective

Etymology

Origin of parade

1650–60; < French, Middle French < Spanish parada a stop, stopping place, noun use of feminine of parado, past participle of parar to stop, end < Latin parāre to set. See compare, parry, -ade ¹

Example Sentences

"If they do win the league, they are going to have the best-dressed parade in the entire world," Pedler jokes.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

And if he’s in the mood for it, we’ll have a parade.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Let’s hope a similar major injury bug doesn’t hit the 2026 Dodgers, so we have a better chance of seeing Kiké Hernández or Freddie Freeman do a championship parade dance à la Mark Madsen.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

With Senegal refusing to relinquish the trophy, and with Saturday's planned parade a sign of their contempt, the battle to be crowned African champions is far from over.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

A parade of people who love Rockledge Park follow: “I walked in Rockledge Park every morning, and now it’s all gone.”

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Related Words

• brandish
• demonstrate
• flash
• prance
• strut
• swagger
• trot out