A wad is a small, compressed lump or bundle of something soft, often paper, cloth, or another flexible material. You might crumple up a piece of paper into a tight wad and toss it toward the recycling bin, or stuff a wad of tissues into your pocket when you have a cold.

The word often suggests something bunched up somewhat carelessly or hastily. A wad of gum might be stuck under a desk (where it shouldn't be), or a wad of dollar bills gets shoved into someone's pocket. When you wad something up, you're squishing it into a compressed ball, usually without much care for neatness.

You might also hear people talk about a wad of cash, meaning a thick bundle of bills folded or rolled together. In old Western movies, someone might pull out a wad of money to pay for supplies at the general store.