1
as in perched
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 spanned
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 shook
to agree with or seem to agree with two opposite sides of (something)
The politician straddled the issue for weeks.
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Recent Examples of straddled
Her husband then climbed on top of her and straddled her with his legs across her waist.
—
Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Another is the rise in millennials, straddled by student loan debt and lower wages than their parents, moving out later or moving back home after school.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 3 Mar. 2026
Norway's Atle Lie McGrath, the first-run leader, straddled a gate and was out.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
Guthrie’s street straddled a light green and a light orange section.
—Sarah Lapidus, AZCentral.com, 12 Feb. 2026
In Latakia, a giant bronze figure was knocked over and then dragged through the streets as people straddled its head like a Jet Ski.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
The Toronto Maple Leafs have typically straddled the limits of the NHL’s dress code.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
The hero of the book’s first section is the sixteenth-century Spanish priest and writer Bartolomé de las Casas, who straddled the Old World and the New, issuing startling moral novelties to both.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2025
Purdy correctly straddled the line on the play between being safe and taking a shot.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Another is the rise in millennials, straddled by student loan debt and lower wages than their parents, moving out later or moving back home after school.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 3 Mar. 2026
Norway's Atle Lie McGrath, the first-run leader, straddled a gate and was out.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
Guthrie’s street straddled a light green and a light orange section.
—Sarah Lapidus, AZCentral.com, 12 Feb. 2026
In Latakia, a giant bronze figure was knocked over and then dragged through the streets as people straddled its head like a Jet Ski.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
The Toronto Maple Leafs have typically straddled the limits of the NHL’s dress code.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
The hero of the book’s first section is the sixteenth-century Spanish priest and writer Bartolomé de las Casas, who straddled the Old World and the New, issuing startling moral novelties to both.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2025
Purdy correctly straddled the line on the play between being safe and taking a shot.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddled
Verb
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Food and Drink The Grand's headliner is Addison, San Diego's first restaurant to earn three Michelin stars, perched on a bluff with panoramic views.—
Nina Ruggiero,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
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At some point, the bats emerge en masse from that cave, flying straight toward the tour participants who are perched on the opposite ledge, and then over their heads.—
Don Tse,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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In a speech that spanned nearly a half hour, Winfield, 74, stood at a podium near home plate, taking everybody in attendance on a journey that touched on nearly every chapter of his life.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
30 May 2026
-
Our expertise spanned various disciplines, including obstetrics and gynecology, endocrinology, pediatrics, dermatology, radiology, primary care, nutrition science and psychology.—
Melanie Cree,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
In the corner of the room, Kyle Schwarber shook his head.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
The Highlanders will have one less coach than usual for the CIF LA City Section Open Division championship in South Gate on Saturday after an accident shook the Highlanders to their core Monday.—
Ethan Hanson,
Daily News,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Eventually, Betty stopped and squatted.—
Gabriel Debenedetti,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
As catcher Dillon Dingler got down in his catching stance, Hinch squatted and leaned against a fence off to the side.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For years, motherhood and fashion have existed in parallel but rarely intersected in a meaningful way.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
-
This rotating exhibition highlights eight artist pairings, each of which features two figures whose trajectories intersected at a key moment.—
Washington Post staff,
Washington Post,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The nurse told investigators Samuelson saved his life, and according to court documents, surveillance video also shows that immediately after the nurse ducked into the hallway to get away from Grafton, Samuelson stopped moving and appeared motionless.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
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So the team and I immediately dropped to the ground, ducked and covered.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Levi Jones, a 33-year-old business owner, pulled up to Sacred Eye Tattoos in Hollywood last week and sat for eight hours getting a photorealistic black-and-white portrait of Mangione on his leg.—
Amanda Rosa,
Orlando Sentinel,
24 Dec. 2024
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The birthday boy and his big sister Sterling Skye, 3, each sat between one of their parents’ laps.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
24 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Straddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddled. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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