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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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.

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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 In two video clips, which were sent to the Statesman by a witness, the man is face-first on the ground while one of the officers straddles him and pushes his head into the sidewalk. — Alex Brizee july 17, Idaho Statesman, 17 July 2026 At her white adoptive family’s estate, Thina (26), a Black surgeon straddling two worlds, prepares for her wedding with a woke Black fiancé and her white adoptive sister – her best friend. — John Hopewell, Variety, 14 July 2026 The mountains on the other side, which straddle the Continental Divide, are some of the most remote terrain in the Lower 48. — Jesse Ashlock, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026 Gallup-McKinley, a sprawling district twice the size of Delaware, straddles part of the Navajo Nation and has the largest Native American student population of any public school district in the country. — Bryant Furlow, ProPublica, 13 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
  • On Thursday morning, fat bees perched on black-and-blue sage flowers, and doves loudly fluttered from fruit tree to fruit tree.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
  • This Mexican state that’s perched on the Pacific coast has played host to two previous iterations of the world’s biggest sporting event throughout the decades (in 1970 and 1986, to be exact).
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 23 July 2026
Definition of perch
Verb
  • About the swamp A big, big place The Okefenokee Swamp is vast, 438,000-440,000 acres spanning about 700 square miles mostly in Charlton, Ware and Clinch counties in Georgia‘s southeast corner.
    — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 25 July 2026
  • Integrations span a wide range of categories, including analytics, administration, AI tools, business messaging, CRM, and project management.
    — John Brandon, PC Magazine, 24 July 2026
Definition of span
Verb
  • The case exposed serious weaknesses in financial oversight and shook public confidence in institutions responsible for protecting taxpayer dollars.
    — Malia M Cohen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026
  • With the room shaking, the show’s producer, Bob Johnston, plotted a course toward the nearest group of guards.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • The club now sits at 4 wins, 10 losses, 2 draws (14 points), just six points off a playoff spot but with plenty of congestion in between.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
  • The nine buildings sit next to the light rail and Rail Trail, near the East/West Blvd station.
    — Claire Harutunian, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026
Definition of sit
Verb
  • That innovation is also intersecting with the growth of artificial intelligence capabilities, according to Hendrik Venter, CEO of DHL Supply Chain.
    — Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 25 July 2026
  • There are indications the administration is preparing for a prolonged conflict that could intersect with midterms, when Republicans are vulnerable to losing their grips on the House and Senate.
    — Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of intersect
Verb
  • To pretend otherwise, and to accuse everyone who points to these difficult trade-offs of bad faith, is to duck a confrontation with the deepest problems of politics and policy.
    — Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • By contrast with physical products, policymakers now tend to duck difficult conversations about what to do with addictive services or experiences like gambling and video games.
    — Jonathan Caulkins, The Conversation, 17 July 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
  • Indeed, the Ice Plex and its adjacent parking lot comprise only about four acres, a third of what would be needed to build Escondido Ice.
    — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2026
  • The kids' spaces at Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya comprise an oceanfront pool and large aquatic playground, sweeping outdoor jungle gym, and whimsical two-story indoor club with a rundown of activities that thoughtfully integrate Mayan culture.
    — Gina Kramer, USA Today, 25 July 2026
Definition of comprise

Phrases Containing straddle

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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 30 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of straddle for Spanish Speakers

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