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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
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.

Related Words

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.

Related Words

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 Mythical creatures, too, soaked in the supernatural; half-men, half-animals who evaded classification—centaurs and satyrs, fauns and werewolves—straddling the boundary between man and beast. — Literary Hub, 30 July 2026 It’s situated in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness north of Yellowstone National Park straddling the Montana-Wyoming border. — Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 29 July 2026 Her approach often straddles a line that others have not been able to successfully navigate, one GOP strategist said. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 27 July 2026 The takeaway may be that organizations are better off committing to one model than trying to straddle both. — Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 27 July 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
  • Japanese sweet potatoes) that are carved and perched sculpturally on small, nicely weighty tortillas.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • There’s also a devil, all too ready to perch on his other shoulder, too.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of perch
Verb
  • Over a career spanning six decades, Herzog has become one of the most influential figures in international cinema, working on around 80 films often alighting on the subjects of obsession, extreme situations and the contradictions of human nature.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Whatnot’s categories span Pokémon cards to designer bags to fresh food.
    — Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of span
Verb
  • Tarrant County District Attorney In mid-November 1996, Narez shook her daughter, Kasandra White, and threw the child into a wall, causing her head to strike a door, according to the 1999 Tarrant County grand jury indictment.
    — S.E. Jenkins, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • On Monday, in the early morning, cheerleaders flanked the entrance to the courtyard, cheering and shaking their pom-poms as their classmates filed in, showing varying degrees of enthusiasm.
    — Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • Also sitting empty are all four corners, allowing those in the main stand to watch the Underground trains trundle along the Jubilee Line on their way to final stop Stanmore and back.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Sponge The sponge typically consists of a soft layer of foam that sits between the blade and the rubber.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of sit
Verb
  • Their experiences became defining examples of how sports, politics, public health, and individual liberty intersected during one of the most polarizing periods in modern sports history.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • For Orlando families, workers and businesses, the practical response begins with accurate records, a clear plan and a realistic understanding of how immigration agencies and court proceedings can intersect.
    — Ascend Agency, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of intersect
Verb
  • Native plants can help round things out, giving birds a place to duck for cover while supporting the insects many species rely on, especially when feeding their young.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The last ducked behind a replica stagecoach on display inside.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 7 Aug. 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
  • The camera setup comprises 54 Vicon Valkyrie cameras and 10 Vicon Vero cameras (all Vicon motion capture cameras) and the stage supports up to 20 performers simultaneously.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Last year, first-time visitors to Las Vegas comprised 10% of travelers, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority's annual visitor profile study.
    — James Powel, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of comprise

Phrases Containing straddle

Browse Nearby Words

strabismus
straddle
straddled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Straddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddle. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on straddle

Nglish: Translation of straddle for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All