ad
gb/ˈæd/ us/ˈæd/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
an advertisement
An ad is a message that tries to sell or promote something.
Usage pattern:
an ad (for [product/service]); an ad in/on [media]
Common mistake:
Often confused with add (meaning “put more”).
Synonyms
advertisement (More formal and fully spelled out.)
|
commercial (Often used for TV or radio advertising.)
|
promo (More informal; often for short promotional content.)
Antonyms
editorial (Non-advertising content that is not paid promotion.)
Collocations
run an ad
|place an ad
|take out an ad
|put an ad in a newspaper
|a TV ad
|an online ad
|a job ad
|a classified ad
|an ad campaign
|an ad agency
Themes
business
|media
|marketing
|daily_life
Examples
- I saw an ad for that phone on Instagram.
- They placed an ad in the local paper to hire a receptionist.
- The company pulled the ad after complaints from viewers.
Learner examples
- This ad is for a new drink.
- I don’t like loud ads on TV.
abbreviation
formal
B2
relation
2
years after Jesus’s birth
AD is written with a year to mean “after the birth of Jesus Christ.”
Usage pattern:
AD [year]
Common mistake:
Often confused with BC; AD is usually written before the year (AD 1066), though “1066 AD” is also seen.
Synonyms
CE (A neutral alternative meaning the same years (Common Era).)
Antonyms
BC (Marks years before the traditional birth year of Jesus Christ.)
Collocations
AD 1066
|AD 70
|in AD 312
|the first century AD
Themes
time
|history
|religion
Examples
- The Romans destroyed the Second Temple in AD 70.
- The empire reached its peak in the second century AD.
Learner examples
- AD 1066 is a famous year in English history.
abbreviation
technical
C1
entity
3
assistant director on a film
An AD is a person who helps organize filming on a movie or TV set.
Usage pattern:
the AD; a first/second AD
Common mistake:
Not the same as a director; the AD focuses on coordination and scheduling rather than creative decisions.
Synonyms
assistant director (Full form; clearer outside film/TV contexts.)
Collocations
first AD
|second AD
|the AD called action
|work with the AD
Themes
film
|work
|media
Examples
- Check with the AD before moving any equipment onto the set.
- The first AD updated the shooting schedule after the weather changed.
abbreviation
technical
C1
entity
4
Microsoft directory service
AD is a system companies use to control accounts and access on computers.
Usage pattern:
in AD; AD users/groups
Common mistake:
Usually written as AD in IT contexts; not related to advertising in this sense.
Collocations
AD account
|AD group
|AD policy
|AD login
|join the domain in AD
Themes
technology
|computing
|work
Examples
- Your account is locked in AD, so you can’t log in right now.
- The IT team created a new AD group for contractors.
abbreviation
technical
C1
state
5
full-time military service status
AD means working full time as a soldier, sailor, etc.
Usage pattern:
on AD; AD orders
Common mistake:
Mostly used in US military contexts; not the same as “an ad” (advertisement).
Synonyms
full-time service (More general wording; less specific than the military term.)
Antonyms
reserve duty (Part-time or non-active status in the military.)
Collocations
on AD
|AD orders
|AD service
|return to AD
Themes
military
|work
|government
Examples
- She went on AD for a year after finishing training.
- He received AD orders with only a week’s notice.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ad
IPA
GB/ˈæd/
US/ˈæd/
Syllables & stress
ad (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (ad)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: ad
- Plural: ads
Word family
Expressions
ad break
1/ˈæd bɹˈeɪk/
fixed phrase
pause for commercials
A short time in a show when ads are shown.
Examples
- I usually make tea during the ad break.
- The presenter went to an ad break after the interview.
ad campaign
1/ˈæd kæmpˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
business
planned series of ads
A group of ads that are planned together.
Examples
- They launched an ad campaign to introduce the new logo.
- The ad campaign ran across TV, billboards, and social media.
classified ad
1/klˈæsɪfˌaɪd ˈæd/
fixed phrase
small ad in listings
A short ad in a list of ads (jobs, homes, things for sale).
Examples
- He found the apartment through a classified ad.
- She posted a classified ad to sell her bike.
classified ad
1/klˈæsɪfˌaɪd ˈæd/
fixed phrase
small categorized advertisement
A small ad listed in a category, for example for a job, apartment, or used car.
Examples
- She found her first apartment through a classified ad.
- The company placed a classified ad for a part-time assistant.
- He answered a classified ad for a used motorcycle.
job ad
1/d͡ʒˈɑb ˈæd/
fixed phrase
advertisement for a job opening
An ad that says a company is hiring.
Examples
- The job ad says you need at least two years of experience.
- I applied to three jobs I found through a job ad online.
place an ad
1/plˈeɪs ən ˈæd/
fixed phrase
arrange for an ad
To arrange to put an ad in a newspaper or online.
Examples
- She placed an ad on a job site to find a new assistant.
- We placed an ad in the program for the charity event.
put an ad in
1/pˈʊt ən ˈæd ˈɪn/
fixed phrase
insert an ad in something
To put an advertisement in a newspaper, website, etc.
Examples
- We put an ad in the local magazine to promote the new class.
- If you put an ad in the paper, include a phone number.
run an ad
1/ɹˈʌn ən ˈæd/
fixed phrase
publish or broadcast an ad
To show an ad in a newspaper, on TV, or online.
Examples
- The website runs ads between articles.
- They ran an ad during the game to promote the new movie.
take out an ad
1/tˈeɪk ˈaʊt ən ˈæd/
fixed phrase
pay to publish an ad
To pay to put an ad in a newspaper, online, etc.
Examples
- They took out an ad in the Sunday paper to announce the sale.
- If you take out an ad online, you can target people by location.