straggled; straggling
ˈstra-g(ə-)liŋ 
2
: to trail off from others of its kind
little cabins straggling off into the woods
: a straggling group (as of persons or objects)
strag·gler
-g(ə)lə(r)
plural -s
: one that rambles without settled direction: such as
b
: one that is separated by wandering off in some irregular manner from others
crop the stragglers in the hedge
c
: one that departs from the company to which he belongs or from the direct or proper course (such as a bird that strays out of its usual range)
sent a crew to round up the stragglers from the herd
d(1)
: a soldier who wanders from his unit on the march or from the area assigned his unit
(2)
: a man who has been an unauthorized absentee from naval service for more than 72 hours but who has not been absent long enough to have been declared a deserter
Examples of straggle in a Sentence
Verb
The children straggled in from outside.
People straggled off the train.
She straggled behind the rest of the group.
Branches straggled out and blocked the path.
Recent Examples on the Web
Carl Juste, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
When outliers such as Jeff Sessions and Chris Christie straggled into his camp, their betrayal provoked mockery and outrage.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Katie Goh Ponders Citrus in Art and Life Along the Himalayan massif, the remnant straggles of ancient citrus groves sprawl.
—Literary Hub, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for straggle
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Verb
Looking unsure and a bit lost, VIPs from the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami straggle into the dim underground garage of a nondescript Little Havana strip mall on a recent Saturday morning.
—Carl Juste, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
When outliers such as Jeff Sessions and Chris Christie straggled into his camp, their betrayal provoked mockery and outrage.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
In the small Campo dei Tolentini, presided over by the haughty neoclassical columns of the eponymous church, a queue straggles from a tiny bar.
—Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Katie Goh Ponders Citrus in Art and Life Along the Himalayan massif, the remnant straggles of ancient citrus groves sprawl.
—Literary Hub, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for straggle
Cite this Entry
“Straggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/straggle. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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