# grad

/ˈɡɹæd/ (US) · /ɡɹˈæd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/grad
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a graduate

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a person who has finished their university or college degree.

For teachers: a person who has successfully completed a course of study or training, especially a person who has been awarded an undergraduate or graduate degree.

- She is a recent college grad looking for her first job in marketing.
- The company specifically targets recent grads for their internship programme, hoping to recruit fresh talent directly from the top universities.

Usage: Commonly used as a modifier in phrases like 'grad school' or 'grad student'.

### 2. graduation

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

the ceremony or time when you finish your studies.

For teachers: a clipping of 'graduation', referring to the ceremony or the state of having completed a degree.

- Are you planning to go back home after grad?
- The students spent the weeks leading up to grad preparing their final portfolios and applying for entry-level positions.

Usage: Often used in casual conversation to refer to the event itself.

## Examples

- She is a recent college grad looking for her first job.
- The company is hiring several new grads to join their engineering team this summer.
- While the ceremony was small, every high school grad felt a profound sense of accomplishment as they walked across the stage to receive their diplomas.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.