wade

¹ American  

[weyd] / weɪd /

verb (used without object)

waded, wading

1. to walk in water, when partially immersed.

   He wasn't swimming, he was wading.

2. to play in water.

   The children were wading in the pool most of the afternoon.

3. to walk through water, snow, sand, or any other substance that impedes free motion or offers resistance to movement.

   to wade through the mud.

4. to make one's way slowly or laboriously (often followed bythrough ).

   to wade through a dull book.

   Synonyms:

   work, plow, plod, toil, labor

5. Obsolete. to go or proceed.

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verb (used with object)

waded, wading

1. to pass through or cross by wading; ford.

   to wade a stream.

noun

1. an act or instance of wading.

   We went for a wade in the shallows.

verb phrase

1. wade in / into

   1. to begin energetically.

   2. to attack strongly.

      to wade into a thoughtless child; to wade into a mob of rioters.

Wade ² American  

[weyd] / weɪd /

noun

1. Benjamin Franklin, 1800–78, U.S. lawyer and antislavery politician.

2. a male given name.

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wade ¹ British  

/ weɪd /

verb

1. to walk with the feet immersed in (water, a stream, etc)

   the girls waded the river at the ford

2. to proceed with difficulty

   to wade through a book

3. (intr; foll by in or into) to attack energetically

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noun

1. the act or an instance of wading

Wade ² British  

/ weɪd /

noun

1. ( Sarah ) Virginia. born 1945, English tennis player; won three Grand Slam singles titles: US Open (1968), Australian Open (1972), and Wimbledon (1977)

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Other Word Forms

• unwaded adjective
• unwading adjective
• wadable adjective

Etymology

Origin of wade

before 900; Middle English waden to go, wade, Old English wadan to go; cognate with German waten, Old Norse vatha; akin to Old English wæd ford, sea, Latin vadum shoal, ford, vādere to go, rush

Explanation

To wade is to walk through water. If you've been fishing without a boat, you'll have to wade to reach your precious prize (if it gets away, you can brag about how big it was). When you wade, it doesn't have to literally be through a liquid; wading includes any action that involves a laborious slog through something that offers resistance. For example, you might attempt to wade through a huge book like Moby Dick. And if you want to get into a fight? Wade right on into the brawling crowd. Or if it's verbal fisticuffs you're after, wade right on in to the debate.

Example Sentences

The justices could choose to focus on a 1952 law passed by Congress that codified birthright citizenship and not wade into the larger constitutional debate, said Stephen Yale-Loehr, an immigration law expert.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

The White House talks, in which Trump showed off his collection of hats to the leaders, was one of the first attempts by a U.S. president to wade into the thorny issues of the region.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

Were you hoping to wade into the blooms, perhaps plop down in your summer shorts and snap a photo for social?

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

In the pandemic’s early years, skyrocketing home prices made it harder for some buyers to wade into the market.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

He tried to ease himself into the silvery current and wade the last ten yards to shore but was instantly whisked away like a feather.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• bathe
• paddle
• splash
• stumble
• trek