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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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
Star, which straddles Ada and Canyon counties in the northern stretches of the Treasure Valley, has stood out in recent years for its explosive growth.
—
Rose Evans
may 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 May 2026
The 400-acre Carowinds amusement park straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina border in Charlotte and Fort Mill.
—Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
Portland, Oregon, which straddles the Willamette River with snowcapped Mount Hood standing guard, is one of the country's prettiest cities.
—Hannah Wallace, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
In January of that year, Mexican biologists tracked a collared wolf that had passed by the city of Juárez on its way to Mount Cristo Rey, which straddles the border between New Mexico and Mexico and overlooks El Paso, Texas.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 30 Apr. 2026
Nguyen’s poignant, solemn and ultimately hopeful project for the High Line Plinth — a prominent venue for public art that straddles the intersection of West 30th Street and 10th Avenue — follows projects at the site by Iván Argote, Pamela Rosenkranz, Sam Durant and Simone Leigh.
—Benjamin Sutton, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore The Indonesian archipelago straddles many of the waterways governing access between the Indian Ocean and the rest of East Asia, which hasn’t escaped the notice of Indonesian officials.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
The latter will show exactly where your boundary lines fall and whether the fence sits on one side or straddles the line.
—Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 15 Apr. 2026
The body of water straddles the border between Albania and North Macedonia, and it’s surrounded by ancient villages, rolling hills, and beaches.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
Rose Evans
may 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 May 2026
The 400-acre Carowinds amusement park straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina border in Charlotte and Fort Mill.
—Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
Portland, Oregon, which straddles the Willamette River with snowcapped Mount Hood standing guard, is one of the country's prettiest cities.
—Hannah Wallace, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
In January of that year, Mexican biologists tracked a collared wolf that had passed by the city of Juárez on its way to Mount Cristo Rey, which straddles the border between New Mexico and Mexico and overlooks El Paso, Texas.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 30 Apr. 2026
Nguyen’s poignant, solemn and ultimately hopeful project for the High Line Plinth — a prominent venue for public art that straddles the intersection of West 30th Street and 10th Avenue — follows projects at the site by Iván Argote, Pamela Rosenkranz, Sam Durant and Simone Leigh.
—Benjamin Sutton, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore The Indonesian archipelago straddles many of the waterways governing access between the Indian Ocean and the rest of East Asia, which hasn’t escaped the notice of Indonesian officials.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
The latter will show exactly where your boundary lines fall and whether the fence sits on one side or straddles the line.
—Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 15 Apr. 2026
The body of water straddles the border between Albania and North Macedonia, and it’s surrounded by ancient villages, rolling hills, and beaches.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddles
Verb
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Live streams from entertainment events like the Grammys or Golden Globes aren’t typically perches for controversy, but, says Anthony McCartney, AP’s entertainment and lifestyles editor, celebrities will sometimes be asked to weigh in on recent headlines.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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That working group spans multiple federal agencies, including the VA.—
Lisa Hagen,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
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The story spans from 1929 through to the present day, tracing Fei’s decades-long pursuit of both her music and an unresolved bond with Kai.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Accessories include a cookie that shakes when Grogu performs the Force move and a charge accessory that activates lights, sounds, and prompts a Grogu response.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Hospitals that neglect to provide certain standards of care, such as protein shakes to treat malnutrition or an unhealthy weight loss, could open themselves up to possible legal liability.—
Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mackenzie Arnold made four saves for her third clean sheet of the season and fifth overall for Portland (6-1-1), which sits atop the league standings.—
Phuoc Nguyen,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
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That translates to asking your stylist for something that sits between the lip and chin with a very blunt, controlled perimeter.—
Diana Tsui,
Footwear News,
3 May 2026
Verb
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Alongside these offerings, the practice incorporates alternative wellness options, recognizing that mental health often intersects with broader aspects of daily life.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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The block is near where Quebec intersects with Interstate 70.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
7 Apr. 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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District 9 goes from a compact district to one that sprawls 120 miles from Orlando International Airport to Moore Haven on the edge of Lake Okeechobee.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
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Chicago One of the world's largest science museums, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry sprawls over more than 400,000 square feet.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mr Cobra evades most classification from there, blending free jazz, musique concrète, ’00s pop, house, industrial techno, and air horns, interlaced with dialogue snipped from Korean folk operas and experimental films.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
17 Apr. 2026
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But even if Booker’s appearance evades the FCC’s scrutiny, the commission is closely watching TV talk programs, with The View in particular a subject of interest.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straddles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddles. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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