stranded; stranding; strands
1
: to run, drive, or cause to drift onto a strand : run aground
2
: to leave in a strange or an unfavorable place especially without funds or means to depart
3
: to leave (a base runner) on base at the end of an inning in baseball
: to become stranded
1
a
: fibers or filaments twisted, plaited, or laid parallel to form a unit for further twisting or plaiting into yarn, thread, rope, or cordage
b
: one of the wires twisted together or laid parallel to form a wire rope or cable
c
: something (such as a molecular chain) resembling a strand
a strand of DNA
2
a
: an element (such as a yarn or thread) of a woven or plaited material
b
: a threadlike piece of natural or synthetic material
a strand of hair
3
: an elongated or twisted and plaited body resembling a rope
a strand of pearls
4
: one of the elements interwoven in a complex whole
one strand of the novel's plot
stranded; stranding; strands
1
: to break a strand of (a rope) accidentally
2
a
: to form (something, such as a rope) from strands
b
: to play out, twist, or arrange in a strand
Examples of strand in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the wishful dream of living an indolent, idyllic existence on some far-off strand
Verb (1)
the ghostly remains of ships that had been stranded by the reef
he just drove off, stranding her in some dinky town with just a few bucks and the clothes she was wearing
Recent Examples on the Web
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
Indigenous Canadian filmmakers hit Toronto with a record eight acquisition titles premiering across the program strands, boosting market space and momentum by proving that storytelling grounded in and supported by their communities is connecting with both global buyers and audiences.
—Jennie Punter, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
The first seat at my table always goes to Ernest Shackleton, who kept all 27 men in his crew alive through nearly two years stranded in Antarctica.
—Natalie Silverman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strand
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Noun
Grooming in the bathroom, like shaving or styling your hair, contributes to more dust particles forming from dead skin cells or fallen out hair strands that accumulate during the day.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
Indigenous Canadian filmmakers hit Toronto with a record eight acquisition titles premiering across the program strands, boosting market space and momentum by proving that storytelling grounded in and supported by their communities is connecting with both global buyers and audiences.
—Jennie Punter, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
The event, which was billed as a luxury music festival in the Bahamas, ended up being canceled last minute, leaving influencers and celebrities stranded.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
The first seat at my table always goes to Ernest Shackleton, who kept all 27 men in his crew alive through nearly two years stranded in Antarctica.
—Natalie Silverman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strand
Cite this Entry
“Strand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strand. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
strand
2 of 3 verb1
: to run aground : beach
boats stranded by the storm
2
: to leave in a strange or an unfavorable place especially without a way of departing
stranded in a strange city
strand
3 of 3 noun1
: one of the fibers, threads, strings, or wires twisted or braided to make a cord, rope, or cable
2
: something resembling a strand
a strand of pearls
a strand of DNA
3
: one of the elements of a complicated whole
the strands of a legal argument
Etymology
Noun
Old English strand "shore"
Noun
Middle English strond "strand, fiber"
Medical Definition
strand
noun
: something (as a molecular chain) resembling a thread
a strand of DNA
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