astride

1 of 2

adverb

ə-ˈstrīd 

1

: with one leg on each side : astride a horse

she rode astride, not sidesaddle

2

: with the legs stretched wide apart

standing astride

astride

2 of 2

preposition

1

: on or above and with one leg on each side of

astride a horse

2

: placed or lying on both sides of

towns lying astride a river

3

: extending over or across : spanning, bridging

Examples of astride in a Sentence

Preposition

She was sitting astride a horse.

The town lies astride a narrow river.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Stanley Jenkins stands astride the nation as a colossus of American folk food. — Fox News, 10 June 2022

Bull riders and bareback contestants must stay astride for at least eight seconds in order to be eligible to win and be scored on the quality of their rides. — New York Times, 16 Aug. 2022

Preposition

Children stand astride the fence like giant elands. — Mac Barnett, Longreads, 5 May 2026

Behind him is the spindly figure of a man astride a bicycle, standing before skeletal, half-visible trees. — Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 23 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

1653, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for astride

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied
• beside

Kids Definition

astride

1 of 2 adverb

ə-ˈstrīd 

: with one leg on each side

astride

2 of 2 preposition

: on or above and with one leg on each side of

astride a horse