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)

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
Phrases
in stride
1
: without interference with regular activities
2
: without emotional reaction
took the news in 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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The two men stride toward us with masks scrunched against their noses. Bryan Washington, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2023 Elsewhere, about 60 students from Claflin University in Orangeburg, S.C., strode toward the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial. Fredrick Kunkle, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2023 Some researchers have argued that the Middle Pleistocene mystery bones mark the transition between archaic and modern humans, who strode onto the scene some 160,000 years ago. Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 11 Aug. 2023 That changed when Gibson boldly strode onto the court. Sally H. Jacobs, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Aug. 2023 As Susan watched the man stride down the concourse, the penny dropped. John Kelly, Washington Post, 7 Aug. 2023 In June, Florida beachgoers got a shock when a black bear cub was spotted casually swimming in the ocean before striding onto the shore at a crowded beach in Destin. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 1 Aug. 2023 Ron Lacks strode from a locked door on the eighth floor of the Edward A. Garmatz U.S. District Courthouse just before 8 p.m. and pressed the elevator button. Angela Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 6 Aug. 2023 Sometimes, the messages are even unspoken, like the moment Horan shook off a hard challenge by a Netherlands player, strode to the penalty, shoved her aggressor in the chest and scored the tying goal. Juliet MacUr, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2023
Noun
And the vote could portend a new ideological balance on the council, where progressives earned strong representation in this current term but have struggled to make commensurate policy strides. Danny McDonald, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023 Baltimore’s offense will be hitting its stride with Lamar Jackson more comfortable in new offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s offense. The Enquirer, 8 Sep. 2023 Experts say the 2023 summit will serve as a victory lap for India, which has made great strides in positioning itself as a global leader and helped advance concerns of non-G20 members. Omkar Poojari, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Sep. 2023 Fellow rookies Emmet Sheehan and Gavin Stone have made strides after struggling in their initial call-ups. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2023 While Lacayo may have only won Project Runway a year ago, she’s already made great strides in the fashion world. Henry Chandonnet, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2023 If the showing process finds its stride against UCLA, there will be a full circle feel to his college football path. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2023 Centennial’s offense once again hit its stride in the fourth. Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2023 Scientists and health experts have made strides in tackling the disease over the last two decades using a wide range of preventative measures. Bethlehem Feleke, CNN, 7 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stride.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near stride

Cite this Entry

“Stride.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stride. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on stride

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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