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straddle

verb

Definition of straddlenext
1
as in to perch
to be in or move into a seated or standing position with your legs on either side of (something) She straddled the horse and waited for her riding partner to mount.

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2
as in to span
to be on both sides of (something) The town straddles the river. The movie straddles the line between comedy and drama.

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Dissimilar Words
3
as in to shake
to agree with or seem to agree with two opposite sides of (something) The politician straddled the issue for weeks.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of straddle Your work tends to straddle this line of hardship and comedy. — Jd Linville, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026 The selection of key pieces of Oklahoma’s high-stakes reading law is underway in a process that likely will straddle two governors and state superintendents. — Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoma Voice, 8 Sep. 2026 Freddy straddled all these worlds, observing their points of intersection and grooves of adjacency. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 The sisters, Black women who pass for white and hide in plain sight, straddle a dangerous line between two Americas. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for straddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddle
  1. perch
  2. span
  3. shake
  4. sit
  5. intersect
  6. duck
  7. bestride
  8. comprise
Verb
  • During the summer, they can be seen by the hundreds perched atop telephone wires near the shore, the organization says.
    — Neal Riley, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Rooms There’s a range of accommodations here, from cozy poolside rooms to the two-bedroom Tuscany Suite perched above the grounds.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of perch
Verb
  • Conceived by the airline’s in-house team in collaboration with design agency MARKS Brandimage, the lounge will span two levels and offer seating for more than 400 guests.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Sep. 2026
  • During the trial, Hedrick cast doubt on Turner’s hacking claim because the material spanned several months and evidence was found on several phone applications.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of span
Verb
  • As Gansey greeted them, shaking hands, taking photos and smiling endlessly, one stepped forward with a question that encapsulated everything.
    — Tony Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • More than a year of demonstrations sometimes drawing hundreds of thousands of people shook Vucic more than ever during his 14 years in power.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • The audience is therefore not just a number sitting underneath a creator’s profile, but part of the influence itself.
    — Sergi Cerrato, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • His platform has also been used to promote fear and misinformation, even to fuel violence that could destabilize sitting governments.
    — Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of sit
Verb
  • The style features dazzling dainty straps intersecting across the toes and an ankle strap adorned with lemon and leaf ornaments.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Jackson County Counselor Bryan Covinsky said that a hearing was not required since the transit tax would not intersect with local or state statutes.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of intersect
Verb
  • But then, Jackson ducked low beneath two heavyweight defenders.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • In another fun moment, Reese was talking to the media after the tight win over Italy and Clark ducked past her, apologizing for interrupting her interviews.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of duck
Verb
  • His career essentially bestrides the slow-to-grow Before Times and the apparent soccer paradise of today, which was fortified by remarkable facilities, boosted by an ideal central location and forged by an eagerly welcoming host city that slugged above its weight to make this happen.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The Lone Star State is already a literal powerhouse that bestrides domestic energy production.
    — Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
Definition of bestride
Verb
  • After the invention of the internal combustion engine in 1885, the auto industry had comprised skilled laborers producing a few bespoke vehicles—affordable only to an upper stratum of society.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Marchino was one of four judges who comprised the court’s ruling panel for the hearing, which lasted all day on Tuesday August 25 at the FIA’s headquarters in Paris, France.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of comprise

Phrases Containing straddle

Browse Nearby Words

strabismus
straddle
straddled
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Cite this Entry

“Straddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddle. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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