Meanings
verbdadsplain (third-person singular simple present dadsplains, present participle dadsplaining, simple past and past participle dadsplained)
present singular third person dadsplains · participle present dadsplaining · participle past dadsplained · past dadsplained
- slangTo offer advice as a father, especially condescending, unsolicited, or oversimplified advice.
Why does my dad have to dadsplain things to me like I'm five? Like I'm pretty sure I didn't even ask.
Origin
Blend of dad + explain, equivalent to dad + -splain.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
dadsplain. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dadsplain
MLA
“dadsplain.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dadsplain. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dadsplain,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dadsplain.
Source: dadsplain on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.