as in fence-sitting
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1
as in perching
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 spanning
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 shaking
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 straddling
Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
The gubernatorial candidates are straddling Trump in some kind of uneasy peace.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
At the moment his career is straddling middle ground.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026
Sensationally straddling the unspoiled valleys of the Indian Himalayan foothills, Prana also works as a stand-alone or unique private rental for small groups.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Bryan straddling the political center reflects the disjointed desires of a nation that polls consistently inconsistent on issues, one that in 2024 yearned for both universal health care and the removal of hardworking longtime residents.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Such is the fine line Erik Spoelstra’s team is straddling between playoffs and lottery.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Van Rijn, Brand later discovered, was straddling two sides.
—Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 21 Mar. 2026
Goodland, is south of Mansfield, straddling Johnson and Ellis counties.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
The bear was eventually hit with a dart and fell asleep on top of a cinder block wall dividing two properties, its body straddling either side.
—Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
The gubernatorial candidates are straddling Trump in some kind of uneasy peace.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
At the moment his career is straddling middle ground.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026
Sensationally straddling the unspoiled valleys of the Indian Himalayan foothills, Prana also works as a stand-alone or unique private rental for small groups.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Bryan straddling the political center reflects the disjointed desires of a nation that polls consistently inconsistent on issues, one that in 2024 yearned for both universal health care and the removal of hardworking longtime residents.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Such is the fine line Erik Spoelstra’s team is straddling between playoffs and lottery.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Van Rijn, Brand later discovered, was straddling two sides.
—Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 21 Mar. 2026
Goodland, is south of Mansfield, straddling Johnson and Ellis counties.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddling
Noun
-
Lower mortgage rates will spur some fence-sitting buyers into action and increase sales volumes over last year.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Mar. 2026
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There’s merit in seeing both sides of an argument, but there’s no honor in fence-sitting forever, which is Alex’s fatal flaw.—
Anusha Praturu,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The bird, which appears unharmed, matches the description of a starling, a medium-sized perching bird with over 100 species.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
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Another member of pop’s new generation, Addison Rae, was on hand to hype up the crowd while perching on the edge of the DJ booth.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Getty Images The veteran journalist Barry Walters’ new book, Mighty Real, is an extensive history of LGBTQ music from 1969 to 2000, spanning from the Velvet Underground to RuPaul.—
David Chiu,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
The central Sahel is defined by the continent-spanning arid belt that passes through Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Structure information summary Most structures in this region are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
10 May 2026
-
About 180,000 people experienced light to strong shaking, according to the USGS.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Each component must perform within narrow tolerances, particularly at extended distances where minor deviations can significantly affect accuracy.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
-
Everyone has a different retirement plan and a unique tolerance for risk.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Turning my head, sitting, breathing—they all were accompanied by lightning strikes diffused through my body.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
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Whether you’re gone for a long weekend or for a few months, overflowing mail can signal to burglars that your home is sitting empty.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
15 May 2026
Verb
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To overcome this, researchers at ETH Zurich used a subtler effect called the geometric phase, which exploits the path taken by atoms through an artificial ‘crystal of light’ built from intersecting laser beams.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
12 May 2026
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And online, orange lights are intersecting with the trend to paper lanterns.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the family is photographed, several Aces members come in and pause for a brief hug and coo before ducking quickly out of frame.—
Jade Chang,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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At one point, Griffin appears to lunge at Manetta, who evades him by ducking behind a column on the platform.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddling. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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