chad: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Slang for the personality type; technical/dated for the paper fragment.
Quick answer
What does “chad” mean?
A small piece of paper, cardboard, or similar material produced when a hole is punched in paper.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small piece of paper, cardboard, or similar material produced when a hole is punched in paper.
A man who is self-assured, attractive, and embodies stereotypical masculine traits, particularly in online youth culture. Also, an archaic personal name.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The paper fragment sense is universal but technical/dated. The slang sense is more prevalent in global, internet-mediated English, though possibly less mainstream in general UK conversation than in US youth culture.
Connotations
UK: For paper, neutral/technical. For the person, potentially seen as an American internet import with strong, often ironic, masculine connotations. US: Slang term is widely recognized in youth/digital culture, often used earnestly or satirically.
Frequency
The slang sense is significantly more frequent than the paper sense in contemporary digital discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “chad” in a Sentence
[be] + a Chad[punch] + out + chad[collect] + the chadVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chad” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The old printer would chad everywhere, making a terrible mess.
American English
- Make sure the machine doesn't chad up the output tray.
adverb
British English
- He strutted chadly across the room.
American English
- He acted Chadly, ignoring all the criticism.
adjective
British English
- He's got a very chad-like attitude about the gym.
American English
- That was a totally Chad move, bro.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear historically in discussions of punch-card voting or paper waste management.
Academic
The paper sense appears in computer history or political science (e.g., 2000 US election). The slang sense might appear in media/culture studies on internet phenomena.
Everyday
Primarily the slang sense among younger, internet-savvy speakers.
Technical
The paper fragment sense in printing, computing, or electoral contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chad”
- Using 'chad' (slang) in formal writing. Capitalizing 'chad' when referring to the paper fragment. Confusing the country Chad (capitalized) with the slang term.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The paper fragment is lowercase ('chad'). The slang term is often capitalized ('Chad') to distinguish it, though not universally. The country is always capitalized.
It evolved from the 'Virgin vs. Chad' meme, which used simple drawings to contrast stereotypical traits. The name 'Chad' was chosen for its generic, somewhat dated Anglo-American feel.
It depends entirely on context and tone. It can be used earnestly as praise, ironically to mock hyper-masculinity, or pejoratively by those who resent the archetype.
It's largely technical and dated, most famously associated with punch-card ballots. It's less common in everyday speech now that hole punches and similar mechanical devices are less frequently used.
A small piece of paper, cardboard, or similar material produced when a hole is punched in paper.
Chad is usually slang for the personality type; technical/dated for the paper fragment. in register.
Chad: in British English it is pronounced /tʃæd/, and in American English it is pronounced /tʃæd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “GigaChad (an exaggerated, hyper-masculine archetype)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
CHAD: Confident, Handsome, Always Dominant (for the slang). Or: Cardboard Holes And Debris (for the paper).
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL HIERARCHY IS A PYRAMID (with 'Chads' at the top). MATERIAL IS WASTE ('chad' as useless byproduct).
Practice
Quiz
In contemporary internet slang, a 'Chad' is best described as: