stride

1 of 2

verb

strode ˈstrōd How to pronounce stride (audio) ; stridden ˈstri-dᵊn How to pronounce stride (audio) ; striding ˈstrī-diŋ How to pronounce stride (audio)
Synonyms of stride

intransitive verb

1
: to stand astride
2
: to move with or as if with long steps
strode across the room
3
: to take a very long step

transitive verb

1
2
: to step over
3
: to move over or along with or as if with long measured steps
striding the boardwalk
strider noun

stride

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a cycle of locomotor movements (as of a horse) completed when the feet regain the initial relative positions
also : the distance traversed in a stride
b
: the most effective natural pace : maximum competence or capability
often used in the phrase hit one's stride
2
: a long step
3
: an act of striding
4
: a stage of progress : advance
made great strides toward their goal
5
: a manner of striding
6
see also:

Synonyms of stride

Examples of stride in a Sentence

Verb She strode across the room towards me. a gang of armed men strode into the bank and approached the teller Noun She crossed the room in only a few strides. He was standing only a few strides away from me. He has a distinctive bouncy stride. She entered the room with a confident stride.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
As the sun began to set and the celebrations abated, Bukayo Saka emerged from the dressing room with the trophy, striding out onto the field for one final photocall — Arsenal’s longest serving player, who has endured the longest wait, took the opportunity to savour the moment. James McNicholas, New York Times, 25 May 2026 After the media availability was over, Busch strode directly over to his boss. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 May 2026
Noun
Throughout the season, Jordan tunes in to watch Landeskog’s strides on the ice. ABC News, 26 May 2026 That group transformed into UCLA’s Initiative to Combat Antisemitism, which produced a report this month saying UCLA has made strides in improving campus culture, including new training and reforms to the civil rights complaint system, while still having more work to do. Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for stride

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English strīdan; akin to Middle Low German striden to straddle, Old High German strītan to quarrel

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stride.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stride. Accessed 27 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

stride

1 of 2 verb
strode ˈstrōd How to pronounce stride (audio) ; stridden ˈstrid-ᵊn How to pronounce stride (audio) ; striding ˈstrīd-iŋ How to pronounce stride (audio)
1
: to move with or as if with long even steps
strode across the room
2
: to take a very long step
strider noun

stride

2 of 2 noun
1
: a step or the distance covered by a step
2
: a way of striding
3
: the most effective natural pace
often used in the phrase hit one's stride
4
: a step forward : advance
made great strides toward their goal

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