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 And yet crossing the trillion-dollar mark is a remarkable achievement, whether or not AMD continues to straddle the border. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026 The dress straddled the line between classic LBD styling and playful plumage. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 Born in Tunisia and raised in Italy, Talem’s life and acting career has straddled Europe and the Middle East. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026 Bajo Chiquito sits on the Tuquesa River at the northern end of the Darién Gap, the more than sixty-mile stretch of formidable terrain and riverine forest straddling Panama and Colombia. — Belén Fernández, Harpers Magazine, 22 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
  • The rooms Every single one of the 75 rooms is ocean-facing, with floor to ceiling sliding glass doors framing the view, and leading to private terraces perched above the mangroves.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The country music icon and her husband, Carl Dean, acquired the third-acre spread perched just above the Sunset Strip in December 1985 for $750,000.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of perch
Verb
  • The rooms Six spacious room types span a minimum of 475 square feet.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The entries span genres from horror and thriller to family drama and documentary, tackling subjects including Algeria’s civil conflict, Lebanon’s banking crisis, ISIS, migrant-worker exploitation, and life in Gaza.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of span
Verb
  • In Panama City, about 125 miles from the earthquake’s epicentral area, residents rushed from high-rise buildings when the ground began shaking Friday.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
  • When war breaks out, he is shaken from his sleep and runs for an air-raid shelter.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • The Tap on the Line (pictured above) is the only pub in the capital which sits directly on a tube station platform, and is one of the last remaining 19th-century stations.
    — Will Barker, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
  • If weather permits, be sure to dine at Oliveto Restaurant & Lounge Bar, which sits beneath a shady grove of trees and overlooks the pool and vineyard.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of sit
Verb
  • The Draconids are the result of Earth intersecting with a trail from the comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, and occurs in October each year when the planet nears the comet’s orbit.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The two families’ lives intersected once again in their dedication to fight for independence for the Baltic states in the early 1960s.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of intersect
Verb
  • All of a sudden, Bass was a staggering champion lunging at a revived Raman, who swung and stung and ducked the way only a hungry up-and-comer can.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The system enables robots to choose different ways of passing through tight spaces, including stepping over objects, ducking under barriers, and turning sideways to fit through narrow gaps.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 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
  • Founded in 2009, the retailer’s business comprises 15 stores across China, as well as lifestyle concepts including a restaurant, a tea house, and a flower shop.
    — Ashley Ogawa Clarke, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The following month, the league approved the Dream’s sale to an ownership group comprising Larry Gottesdiener, Suzanne Abair and former Dream guard Renee Montgomery.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 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 14 Oct. 2026.

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