1
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
On November 21, a temporary bridge is built to straddle the Grand Canal and connect to the huge Basilica Santa Maria della Salute.
—
Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 29 Sep. 2025
Much as Wes Anderson and Yorgos Lanthimos have plumbed Dafoe’s deliciously wicked sense of humor in pieces that straddle the line between the real and the archly stylized, Solnicki understands that a strong Dafoe performance must always teeter between the two.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
After so many roles that required him to straddle between different temporalities, DiCaprio was cast in the role of someone whose entire reality hinges upon keeping them separate.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2025
Death Valley National Park straddles the California–Nevada border.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for straddle
Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 29 Sep. 2025
Much as Wes Anderson and Yorgos Lanthimos have plumbed Dafoe’s deliciously wicked sense of humor in pieces that straddle the line between the real and the archly stylized, Solnicki understands that a strong Dafoe performance must always teeter between the two.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
After so many roles that required him to straddle between different temporalities, DiCaprio was cast in the role of someone whose entire reality hinges upon keeping them separate.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2025
Death Valley National Park straddles the California–Nevada border.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for straddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddle
Verb
-
Eleven days later, Sharon received a message through the Love Lost chat from a neighbor who spotted a cat perched on a roof near a vet's office.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
His reflective blue shades were perched atop a baseball cap, obscuring much of his face.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Most importantly, Armenia offers investors duty-free access to a 180 million-strong Eurasian Economic Union market that spans Central Asia and beyond.—
Narek Mkrtchyan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
With the final seconds ticking away and the Chiefs’ 30-17 triumph over the Detroit Lions sealed, KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes was looking to shake the hand of Lions safety Brian Branch.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Because the building was shaking.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Belt said much of the museum’s donations go toward maintaining the 124-year-old wooden building that sits right next to a river in a very humid city.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
10 Oct. 2025
-
No glovebox, no desiccator – just a jar of yellow powder sitting happily on my bench.—
Stavroula Alina Kampouri,
The Conversation,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Investing in the Future As the founder of Cryptic8 VC, a company that invests in startups, Kikvadze is focused on where technology intersects with human longevity.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
-
In addition, a broader modernization project for the Red and Purple lines, which Vought said was also being targeted, is intended to upgrade stations and remove a bottleneck where different lines intersect.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In a handshake attempt during the final seconds, Branch ducked Mahomes, prompting Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to approach him.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Pressure arrived, and Allen ducked it initially to extend the play.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Sovereignty, the Triple Crown Class of 2025’s Derby and Belmont victor and Saratoga-man-of-the-minute, bestrides the ultra-short Travers Stakes field of five as an undisputed equine colossus.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
-
The film depicts a world where the Four are something like the Beatles, the Kennedys, the Curies, and the Brady Bunch all in one, a globe-bestriding celebrity family responsible for staving off supernatural threats and, seemingly, establishing world peace.—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The 52-acre property, which was recently overhauled by winemaker Catherine Blagden, her partner Mary Ricks, and their longtime interior designer Jennifer Miller, comprises the area’s quintessential rolling hills, centuries-old oak trees, and lush vineyards.—
Morgan Goldberg,
Architectural Digest,
10 Oct. 2025
-
An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Straddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddle. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share