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 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 In January the city annexed Knox Ranch, which straddles Meadow Road. — Mary Ella Hastings updated July 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026 That would be something that straddles all players across the payroll spectrum. — Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Morningside Village, a roughly 50,000-square-foot collection of buildings that straddles North Highland Avenue, will receive new lighting, landscaping, paint, awnings and artist murals, according to property owner 26th Street Partners. — Amy Wenk, AJC.com, 6 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
  • At some point in nearly every match at this summer’s World Cup, the broadcast cameras have found FIFA president Gianni Infantino perched high above the field in a box suite.
    — Tom Kludt, Vanity Fair, 17 July 2026
  • In the separate living room for a touch of open-concept living, a creamy white couch is perched at its center, accompanied by wooden chairs with soft blue cushions, with a dining room placed right behind.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 17 July 2026
Definition of perch
Verb
  • The 2026 edition of IFFM will present its usual slate of films, conversations and cultural programming spanning Indian cinema’s various languages and regional traditions.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • Tucked away behind gates on a parcel spanning nearly nine acres within an exclusive enclave near Del Mar Country Club, the Amor Estate offers 30,000 square feet of living space spread across a seven-bedroom main home and a two-bedroom guesthouse.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 17 July 2026
Definition of span
Verb
  • Penta went for a Mexican Destroyer on the apron, but Rusev shook him off as the heels took control.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Keegan was not interested in being figurehead or a legend in the executive boxes, shaking hands and reminiscing about the old days.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 21 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
  • Their simulations focused on where the protective layer intersects the electrolyte, the lithium metal anode, and the cathode materials.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026
  • There’s some wisdom in not having a rape threat hover over ten hours of serialized television, and the shift has opened up some thorny connections between Cady and Anna Bowden, whose pasts continue to intersect in intriguing ways.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 17 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
  • The engine’s inefficiencies comprise the start of what’s not quite right with the little VW.
    — James Raia, Mercury News, 19 July 2026
  • Specifically, the number of European, and specifically British voices that comprised the Fox Sports coverage.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 18 July 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 24 Jul. 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 itinerant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

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
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All