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 For me, the iPhone Duo straddles a similar line between the iPhone and the iPad. — ArsTechnica, 27 Oct. 2026 The logistical complications of a facility that straddles the border are unavoidable. — Omar Jimenez, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026 Meta has primarily marketed its agent toward consumers, while OpenAI's product straddles both the enterprise and consumer markets. — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026 This bestseller from Blue Nile distinguishes itself by exuding sheer elegance and managing to straddle the line between soft-spoken and eye-catching. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 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
  • Right on the Chama river, perched on sprawling gardens and woods, this property is ideal for the bridal party who loves the outdoors.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Teddy bears and trains, baseballs and dolls dance through the air into Santa's enormous sack, which sits at Santa's feet, or rather Harry's, who is perched high on the throne at the back of the float, magnificent in white whiskers and red velvet.
    — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of perch
Verb
  • This year, on Sunday, November 1, over 60,000 runners are expected to take part in the marathon, which follows a path that spans all five boroughs, starting on Staten Island and finishing in Central Park.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Mapping the risks The report authors created an interactive Trans-Pacific Cable Gray Zone Vulnerability Index that ranks the undersea cables considered most at risk and displays a map of their routes spanning the Pacific Ocean.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of span
Verb
  • Sitake winds up practice with a prayer and insists that the defense and offense shake hands after going at one another all day.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Mothers who beat, shook, shot, drowned, strangled, and stabbed their babies.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • But the end of daylight saving time also means an earlier sunset, which doesn't always sit right with people.
    — Amanda Callahan, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • In this room, with white carpet, marble arches and marble skirting, church members sit and quietly meditate or pray beneath a crystal chandelier.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of sit
Verb
  • Years later, in 2030, his story intersects with that of his daughter, who makes her own pilgrimage to the Arctic Circle amidst political and environmental upheaval.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The island has long been home to skilled ceramicists, textile makers, glassblowers, and leatherworkers, but these practices are increasingly intersecting with a more contemporary design sensibility.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of intersect
Verb
  • Singer said his opponent was ducking debates; Moskowitz said two was plenty.
    — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The scientists ducked as the boat floated beneath a rusty drawbridge, completed in 1911 and designed by Joseph Strauss, the Golden Gate Bridge’s chief engineer.
    — Robert Sullivan, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 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
  • Meanwhile, the front braking setup comprises a pair of 300-mm steel discs, each working with a caliper equipped with 27-mm pistons.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The manuscript comprises the Bible (Old and New Testaments) and an assortment of other ancient historical, scholarly, and religious writings.
    — Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 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 4 Nov. 2026.

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