bestride

verb

be·​stride bi-ˈstrīd How to pronounce bestride (audio)
bē-
bestrode bi-ˈstrōd How to pronounce bestride (audio)
bē-
; bestridden bi-ˈstri-dᵊn How to pronounce bestride (audio)
bē-
; bestriding bi-ˈstrī-diŋ How to pronounce bestride (audio)
bē-

transitive verb

1
: to ride, sit, or stand astride : straddle
2
: to tower over : dominate
the bloated bureaucracy that bestrides us allEdward Ney
3
archaic : to stride across

Examples of bestride in a Sentence

a giant that bestrode the river
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sovereignty, the Triple Crown Class of 2025’s Derby and Belmont victor and Saratoga-man-of-the-minute, bestrides the ultra-short Travers Stakes field of five as an undisputed equine colossus. Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025 The film depicts a world where the Four are something like the Beatles, the Kennedys, the Curies, and the Brady Bunch all in one, a globe-bestriding celebrity family responsible for staving off supernatural threats and, seemingly, establishing world peace. Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025 The United States will once again bestride the world like a colossus deterring enemies and making other nations safe from the likes of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 10 Nov. 2024 Humanity bestrides the planet, explores the cosmos, and continues to reshape itself because humans are the world’s most inventive, adaptable animal. Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for bestride

Word History

First Known Use

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bestride.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bestride. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

bestride

verb
be·​stride bi-ˈstrīd How to pronounce bestride (audio)
bestrode -ˈstrōd How to pronounce bestride (audio) ; bestridden -ˈstrid-ən How to pronounce bestride (audio) ; bestriding -ˈstrīd-iŋ How to pronounce bestride (audio)
: to ride, sit, or stand with one leg on each side of

More from Merriam-Webster on bestride

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!