1
as in perches
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 spans
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 shakes
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
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Recent Examples of straddles
Some areas, like the Green River basin above Flaming Gorge Reservoir — which straddles the Wyoming-Utah border — have received above-average precipitation.
—
Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 9 Mar. 2026
The 400-acre amusement park that straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina border in Charlotte and Fort Mill.
—Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2026
His latest work treasures motion in both its study of dance music that straddles the 20th and 21st centuries and its gentle tug away from pure pop.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Other perks include soft-close drawers, easy assembly, and an adaptable look that straddles multiple reference points.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Mar. 2026
The space straddles romance and brutalism and was renovated by the CSMN Architects design firm.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 27 Feb. 2026
Sapporo's residents are no less obsessed with onsen culture than other Japanese, as Elijah and I discovered during an overnight trip to Jozankei, which straddles a scenic ravine over the Toyohira River near Shikotsu-Tōya National Park, a 45-minute drive from central Sapporo.
—Alex Halberstadt, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
Heavenly straddles the California-Nevada border on the south side of Lake Tahoe, near South Lake Tahoe and Stateline, Nevada.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Part of the intrigue comes from the way gold straddles two worlds.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 9 Mar. 2026
The 400-acre amusement park that straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina border in Charlotte and Fort Mill.
—Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2026
His latest work treasures motion in both its study of dance music that straddles the 20th and 21st centuries and its gentle tug away from pure pop.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Other perks include soft-close drawers, easy assembly, and an adaptable look that straddles multiple reference points.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Mar. 2026
The space straddles romance and brutalism and was renovated by the CSMN Architects design firm.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 27 Feb. 2026
Sapporo's residents are no less obsessed with onsen culture than other Japanese, as Elijah and I discovered during an overnight trip to Jozankei, which straddles a scenic ravine over the Toyohira River near Shikotsu-Tōya National Park, a 45-minute drive from central Sapporo.
—Alex Halberstadt, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
Heavenly straddles the California-Nevada border on the south side of Lake Tahoe, near South Lake Tahoe and Stateline, Nevada.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Part of the intrigue comes from the way gold straddles two worlds.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddles
Verb
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Even the squirrels in the backyard and the bird that perches on the deck are put on notice.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
10 Feb. 2026
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The Ringed Kingfisher perches up to 30 feet above the surface, watching for medium-size fish and then plunging in headfirst with a mighty splash.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The company purchases natural gas from the Transco and Columbia Gas Transmission pipelines connected to major shale production regions, including the Marcellus and Utica deposits which stretch from West Virginia to Canada and the Haynesville deposit which spans Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Mar. 2026
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The National Park Service issued a warning about the presence of hazardous quicksand areas near the shoreline and at drainages in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which spans across both Arizona and Utah.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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All of the ice cream is made in-house, with rotating flavors alongside vanilla and chocolate, plus a long list of sundaes, malts and shakes.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
6 Mar. 2026
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That does a remarkable job at shooting steady, stabilized video, even as the phone itself shakes or rotates dramatically.—
Dominic Preston,
The Verge,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For every month that an apartment sits empty, interest accrues on the construction loan, the ability to refinance (with less expensive debt) decreases, and rental income can’t keep up with building expenses like utilities and insurance.—
Alicia Glen,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
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In terms of specs, HostArmada is a high-quality reseller hosting server that sits just below Hostwinds, the category's Editors' Choice winner.—
Gabriel Zamora,
PC Magazine,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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AThat’s because awards season typicallyalways intersects with the collections, but this yearseason the timings serendipitously aligned for Moore to be able to attend.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
4 Mar. 2026
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When unpredictability intersects with race, disability and trauma, preparation is essential.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the video, the subject ducks his head in the opposite direction of the doorbell camera.—
Michael Ruiz , Adam Sabes , Christina Dugan Ramirez , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Julia Bonavita , Peter D'Abrosca , Alexandra Koch , Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
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The sun ducks down and sets Conejo Mountain against warm pinks and purples, transforming the ridgeline into an epic silhouette.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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According to the European Avalanche Warning Services (EAWS), at least 99 people have died since October 2025, mostly in the Alps — the mountain range that serves as the continent’s skiing hub and sprawls across several countries including France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
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The metro sprawls across two states and multiple counties, each running its own assessment playbook.—
Allison Palmer
Updated February 20,
Kansas City Star,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But how does one set out to write a biography about the creation of an author who not only can’t be reached, but actively evades the spotlight?—
Costa Beavin Pappas,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
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The result is contrasting, suited for a composition that evades singular meaning.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straddles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddles. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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