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tread

verb · noun

Simple meaning

To step or walk.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

trehd
US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈtɹɛd

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

verb

  1. intransitive

    To step or walk (on or across something); to trample.

  2. transitive

    To step or walk upon.

  3. To beat or press with the feet.

  4. To go through or accomplish by walking, dancing, etc.

  5. To crush under the foot; to trample in contempt or hatred; to subdue; to repress.

  6. transitiveof a male bird

    To copulate with (a hen).

noun

  1. A step taken with the foot.

  2. The sound made when someone or something is walking.

  3. The grooved surface of a pneumatic tire

  4. The grooves carved into the face of a tire, used to give the tire traction.

  5. The grooves on the bottom of a shoe or other footwear, used to give grip or traction.

  6. The act of avian copulation in which the male bird mounts the female by standing on her back.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Moderately Common
Typical Use
Neutral / general English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: To step or walk (on or across something); to trample.

Used this way, tread is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
No strong connotation
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use tread

  • “For fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”verb

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Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

tread carefullytread lightlytread watertread softlytire treadtread warily

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Similar Words, What’s the Difference?

Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.

  • stride

    To walk with long steps.

  • pace

    To measure by walking.

  • trample

    To crush something by walking on it.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • tread-softlynounCompound term

    A stinging herb of tropical America.

  • tread-wheelnounCompound term

    A mill that is powered by men or animals walking on a circular belt or climbing steps.

  • treading waternounCompound term

    A stroke that keeps the head above water by thrashing the legs and arms.

  • tread downverbCompound term

    Walk on and flatten.

  • tread onverbCompound term

    Place or press the foot on.

  • caterpillar treadnounCompound term

    An endless metal belt on which tracked vehicles move over the ground.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

verb

Sense: to step or walk (on or across something)

stride

noun

Sense: step taken with the foot

pace

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.