parade

UK: /pəˈreɪd/ US: /pəˈreɪd/ ,(pə rād′)

Inflections of 'parade' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

parades

v 3rd person singular

parading

v pres p

paraded

v past

paraded

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

pa•rade /pəˈreɪd/   n., v., -rad•ed, -rad•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. a public procession in honor of an event, person, etc., or to celebrate something:
   a parade down Main Street.
2. Military
   • Military a military ceremony involving the marching of troops.
3. a continual passing by, as of people, etc.:
   the parade of the seasons.

v. 

4. to (cause to) march in a procession: [no object]
   The police officers paraded on St. Patrick's Day.
   [~ + object]
   The hostages were paraded through the city streets.
5. to show in an obvious way, as to gain attention:
   [~ + object] paraded her former boyfriends in front of him.
6. to walk in a public place, so as to be noticed:
   [no object] teenagers parading in the park.

Idioms

7. on parade, marching in a parade, as at a formal occasion.

pa•rad•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pa•rade  (pə rād′), n., v., -rad•ed, -rad•ing. 
n. 

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. Military 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. Military the assembly of troops for inspection or display.
4. Military 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. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.]
   • a group or procession of promenaders.
   • a promenade.
8. [Fort.] the level space forming the interior or enclosed area of a fortification.
9. Sport [Fencing.] a parry.

v.t. 

10. to walk up and down on or in.
11. to make parade of;
    display ostentatiously.
12. to cause to march or proceed for display.

v.i. 

13. to march in a procession.
14. to promenade in a public place, esp. in order to show off.
15. to assemble in military order for display.
16. to assume a false or misleading appearance:
    international pressure that parades as foreign aid.

• Latin parāre to set. See compare, parry, -ade¹
• Spanish parada a stop, stopping place, noun, nominal use of feminine of parado, past participle of parar to stop, end
• French, Middle French
• 1650–60

pa•rade′ful, adj. 
pa•rade′less, adj. 
pa•rade′like′, adj. 
pa•rad′er, n. 
pa•rad′ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 11. show, flaunt, flourish.

Antonyms

• 11. conceal.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

parade / 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. rain on someone's parade ⇒ to hinder someone's enjoyment; upset someone's plans
9. on parade ⇒ on display
10. showing oneself off

verb

1. when intr, often followed by through or along: to walk or march, esp in a procession (through): to parade the streets
2. (transitive) to exhibit or flaunt: he was parading his medals
3. (transitive) to cause to assemble in formation, as for a military parade
4. (intransitive) to walk about in a public place

Etymology: 17th Century: from French: a making ready, a setting out, a boasting display; compare Italian parata, Spanish parada, all ultimately from Latin parāre to prepare

paˈrader noun