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 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
  • The question is whether Thompson will shake free from the Mavericks, either through a buyout or trade.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
  • The wine and cocktail menu sports a few local makers too, including Gruet Winery’s sparkling wine and Hollow Spirits vodka, which is shaken into the restaurant’s take on a Vesper martini.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • Greenstein’s brother and sister conducted the ceremony, and at the reception, everyone sat at tables named for Italian directors and feasted on dishes like linguine with baby squid and soused trout by chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo.
    — Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
  • Of more pressing concern is the man who now sits atop the Rangers’ pay structure, sharp-shooting wing and former Vegas Golden Knight Pavel Dorofeyev, who signed a seven-year deal which carries an average annual value of $11 million.
    — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 15 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
  • The route is winding and rolling, ducking inland through forest and prairie before curving back to hug the lake’s shoreline, with lots of turnoffs to stop and take in the views.
    — Stacy Conde, Midwest Living, 9 July 2026
  • But even if that route is taken, the Pacers would still have to make a waiver or cost-cutting move at some point before opening night in order to duck the first apron.
    — Tony East, Forbes.com, 8 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

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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 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on straddle

Nglish: Translation of straddle for Spanish Speakers

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