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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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 Their homeland straddles the border, and thousands of tribal members live in Mexico. — Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2026 The British Film Institute chair has continued to deftly straddle two enormous jobs in European film and TV. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026 Wiener not only leaves behind a richly complex body of work straddling textiles, painting, photographs, and collages, but also a career intricately connected to one of the most important chapters of Austrian art. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Covering Climate Now's project straddles a tightrope between advocacy and journalism, which experts say has pros and cons. — ABC News, 30 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 crossing left at least 140 migrants dead and shook the city perched on the Mediterranean coast.
    — JOSEPH WILSON, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Parakeets – real this time – fly overhead and perch in the trees lining the garden.
    — Julia Wytrazek, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of perch
Verb
  • The apartment spans 4,110 square feet, with three bedrooms, five full bathrooms, and a powder room.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Getting to shape something that spans from competition to just living my life is so meaningful to me.
    — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of span
Verb
  • The pope then walked outside greeted and waved at the crowd and shook hands of hospital staff lined up by car to see him off.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Maybe the shooting shook something loose in her and has amplified her worst tendencies.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • While these tracks are endearing enough, Way Dynamic’s real magic sits at the juncture of folk and forlornness, when Young’s guitar is allowed to ramble and his regrets are sharp enough to bruise.
    — Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
  • For founders sitting atop a mountain of stock, that beats selling shares, paying tax, and then giving away the cash.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of sit
Verb
  • Political stratagems in art were shifting in places like New York and Los Angeles, and the Pictures Generation’s ethos began to speak to young Black and brown artists, ultimately intersecting with their desire for representation.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • There are new couples and characters that intersect with them.
    — Katherine Lam, CBS News, 12 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
  • But more are reliant on communication networks like Starlink, which presently comprises a constellation of 11,000 low Earth orbit satellites.
    — Gerard Toal, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
  • These included Villa Viesca, the former summer home of Salvatore and Wanda Ferragamo, and Dimora Ghirlandaio, a resort in Tuscany, both of which comprised the villas where the American envoy stays during the summit.
    — Emily Zemler, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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