saddle

1 of 2

noun

sad·​dle ˈsa-dᵊl How to pronounce saddle (audio)
often attributive
1
a(1)
: a girthed usually padded and leather-covered seat for the rider of an animal (such as a horse)
(2)
: a part of a driving harness comparable to a saddle that is used to keep the breeching in place
b
: a seat to be straddled by the rider of a vehicle (such as a bicycle)
2
: a device mounted as a support and often shaped to fit the object held
3
a
: a ridge connecting two higher elevations
b
: a pass in a mountain range
4
a
: both sides of the unsplit back of a carcass including both loins
b
: a colored marking on the back of an animal
c
: the rear part of a male fowl's back extending to the tail see duck illustration
5
: the central part of the spine of the binding of a book
6
: a piece of leather across the instep of a shoe
saddleless adjective

Illustration of saddle

Illustration of saddle
  • 1 western
  • 2 English

saddle

2 of 2

verb

saddled; saddling ˈsad-liŋ How to pronounce saddle (audio)
ˈsa-dᵊl-iŋ

transitive verb

1
: to put a saddle on
2
a
: to place under a burden or encumbrance
b
: to place (an onerous responsibility) on a person or group

intransitive verb

: to mount a saddled horse
Phrases
in the saddle
: in control

Examples of saddle in a Sentence

Noun the next day's hike was a stiff climb out of the saddle where they had camped for the night Verb He saddled his horse and mounted it. to the social worker it seemed as though her supervisor had once again saddled her with a truly hopeless case
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The mink eel distressed saddle bag by John Galliano matched perfectly with the white fur look of her coat, tying the whole look together. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024 For riders who are going to spend a lot of time in the saddle, like on long commutes or Century rides, cycle experts recommend going to professional bike fitters, which can be found throughout the Valley. Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 The marlboro man coolly raising a cigarette to his lips; John Wayne gazing at the horizon from the saddle; the Lone Ranger drawing his pistol: the cowboy may be one of America’s most enduring figures. Liz Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 19 Nov. 2023 In addition to a good stint in the saddle, the experience includes an equine spa day with liberty training, a tailored massage, and a cliff-top breakfast. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2024 Taken to their extreme, these frameworks may limit access to foundational technology, saddle hobbyists with corporate obligations, or formally restrict the exchange of ideas and resources between everyday developers. IEEE Spectrum, 8 Feb. 2024 The object in question was a twelve-foot taxidermy crocodile wearing a saddle and bridle, its long mouth open in an evil grin. Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2023 Some of them appeared to be children’s toys, including a saddle and a doll shirt. Nicole Santa Cruz, ProPublica, 20 Oct. 2023 The handmade animals, each with a saddle, represent indigenous New York fauna. Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2023
Verb
Instead, the focus seems to be on circumventing record label deals that have long saddled artists with low royalty rates and heavy advances that must be recouped before an artist can actually start making money. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2024 Opponents say that the policies will saddle the state with the astronomical costs that come from housing more prisoners for longer while providing little benefit. Rick Rojas, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Mortgage lenders have enough to answer for without saddling them with a charge that is wholly bogus. Jack Guttentag, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 Before his death in 1983, her dad came up with a plan to pass the team to McCaskey, his only living child, without saddling her with a heavy tax burden. Ira Boudway, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2024 The workers were all classified as independent contractors rather than employees, which saddled them with expenses that employees wouldn’t have to pay. Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Such a complex law saddles the citizens of California with paying approximately $310 million annually to repay the bond. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024 The unexpectedly rosy picture -- one that's sure to be subject to heated debate in the 2024 presidential race -- may have left some Fed officials saddled by uncertainty. Christopher Rugaber The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 30 Jan. 2024 But that’s not nearly enough to justify bilking taxpayers and saddling area residents with this handicap to their well-being. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'saddle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sadel, from Old English sadol; akin to Old High German satul saddle

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of saddle was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near saddle

Cite this Entry

“Saddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saddle. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

saddle

1 of 2 noun
sad·​dle ˈsad-ᵊl How to pronounce saddle (audio)
1
a
: a padded and leather-covered seat for a horseback rider
b
: a padded part of a harness
c
: a bicycle or motorcycle seat
2
: something like a saddle in shape, position, or use
especially : a support for an object

saddle

2 of 2 verb
saddled; saddling ˈsad-liŋ How to pronounce saddle (audio)
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
: to put a saddle on
2

Medical Definition

saddle

noun
sad·​dle ˈsad-ᵊl How to pronounce saddle (audio)
: the part of a partial denture that carries an artificial tooth and has connectors for adjacent teeth attached to its ends

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