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
Los Angeles Times, 16 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
And straddling it were the Mexicans and the gringos, like two children, eyes shut, their backs to each other, while the Apaches scuttled back and forth between their legs, not sure where to go with strangers bubbling up everywhere, filling their lands.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
The whole season was about Maddie straddling two worlds.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
The legislation comes as transgender Kansas Citians are straddling two states that have sought to restrict their rights.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
There are several factors driving the staggering heat, including a unyielding ridge of high pressure straddling Southern California and weaker-than-normal coastal winds, which typically drive upwelling along the coast.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 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
And straddling it were the Mexicans and the gringos, like two children, eyes shut, their backs to each other, while the Apaches scuttled back and forth between their legs, not sure where to go with strangers bubbling up everywhere, filling their lands.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
The whole season was about Maddie straddling two worlds.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
The legislation comes as transgender Kansas Citians are straddling two states that have sought to restrict their rights.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 4 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
-
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 rehabilitation team was worried about his hallux, or rear-facing toe, which eagles need for grabbing prey and perching.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Birds need a complete habitat that includes food, shelter, nesting areas and perching spots.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Then with Christos Mantoulidis and Felix Schulze, Chodosh resolved a key problem in the geometric analysis of minimal surfaces, such as a soap film spanning a wire loop.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2026
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Wolves now prowl the vast no man’s land spanning Ukraine and Belarus, and brown bears have returned after more than a century.—
Derek Gatopoulos,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Structure information summary Most structures in this region are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The starts were violent, ground-shaking and painfully loud.—
Jan Wagner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Mayor Karen Bass said the city is taking a zero-tolerance approach.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Starting low and building up gives your skin time to develop tolerance without the irritation, peeling or redness that can come from using retinoids too aggressively.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Harbaugh seemed tense during his Friday press conference sitting next to GM Joe Schoen as the second round of the draft rolled on compared to a much more positive Thursday interview after the first round.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Overall the Red Sox have scored two or fewer in 12 of their first 25 games this season, and with a 9-16 record the club is tied for the second-fewest wins in MLB while sitting seven games back of the Yankees in the AL East standings.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That makes sense, especially intersecting with Homelander’s own quasi-religious journey taking shape this season.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
15 Apr. 2026
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Together, experts paint a picture of a sector where formal investment risks intersecting with criminal governance, armed violence and illicit supply chains.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Seattle takes coffee seriously, so ducking into Café Vita, one of the city’s indie coffee shops, is practically required.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
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But a recent global survey conducted by SAP subsidiary WalkMe found that workers are quietly ducking AI use.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddling. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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