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
2
: to step over
3
: to move over or along with or as if with long measured steps
striding the boardwalk
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:
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
Christina Holevas, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2026
About a minute later they were stopped on the road Sunday, and an armed man wearing a black mask strode up to the window of their Kia Sorento, yelling in Spanish.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
But for the strides the Bruins made, and Dent’s clutch shot to hold significance, UCLA needs to apply that intensity to all four of its regular-season games, the Big Ten Tournament and into March Madness.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stride
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Verb
On the spring 2026 runways, the shift was most apparent at Celine, where sharply creased denim strode out alongside crisp blazers and the house’s now-signature silk scarves.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2026
About a minute later they were stopped on the road Sunday, and an armed man wearing a black mask strode up to the window of their Kia Sorento, yelling in Spanish.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
Maybe freshman Alijah Arenas, who didn’t debut until late January, could have found his stride faster with a full offseason.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
But for the strides the Bruins made, and Dent’s clutch shot to hold significance, UCLA needs to apply that intensity to all four of its regular-season games, the Big Ten Tournament and into March Madness.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stride
Cite this Entry
“Stride.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stride. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stride
2 of 2 noun1
: 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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