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
Alasdair Pal, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
While redistricting made his 49th District straddling the San Diego-Orange County line more Democratic and thus safer for Levin, it’s still considered competitive.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
The city has long occupied a cinematic place, straddling its gauzy past and a dark, rainy future.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Askar took control of the 467,000-square-foot tower straddling the Frog Hollow and Parkville neighborhoods in early 2020.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2026
March Adolescence went from low-key British original on Netflix to globe-straddling giant in March 2025.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2025
Separately, the measles outbreak largely straddling the border between Arizona and Utah also continues to swell.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 18 Dec. 2025
But straddling the Chattahoochee River between Alabama and Georgia, pretty far south, is Lane Cake country.
—Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
Children from blue-collar warrens straddling the road strutted about.
—Nabil Salih, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Verb
All beaches in the Northern Beaches, a council area straddling Sydney's northern coastline, will remain closed until further notice, police said.
—Alasdair Pal, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
While redistricting made his 49th District straddling the San Diego-Orange County line more Democratic and thus safer for Levin, it’s still considered competitive.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
The city has long occupied a cinematic place, straddling its gauzy past and a dark, rainy future.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Askar took control of the 467,000-square-foot tower straddling the Frog Hollow and Parkville neighborhoods in early 2020.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2026
March Adolescence went from low-key British original on Netflix to globe-straddling giant in March 2025.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2025
Separately, the measles outbreak largely straddling the border between Arizona and Utah also continues to swell.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 18 Dec. 2025
But straddling the Chattahoochee River between Alabama and Georgia, pretty far south, is Lane Cake country.
—Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
Children from blue-collar warrens straddling the road strutted about.
—Nabil Salih, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddling
Noun
-
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
-
The outcome of this exceptionally tight presidential race may turn on whether Harris, in these final days of the campaign, can convince enough fence-sitting voters to embrace that message.—
David Lauter,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Other photos show it while perching on the plant.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
-
TikTok users were able to see two cats perching over a bathroom sink, which had been filled with tap water.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Oasi Zegna is a territory spanning more than 62 miles and its colors and mood are also a source of inspiration for artistic director Alessandro Sartori, who has been developing the sustainable Oasi Cashmere and staged some shows there.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
8 Jan. 2026
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The building, spanning more than 516,000 square feet, includes 25 floors of office and commercial space, as well as a 348-stall parking ramp.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Structure information summary Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly resistant to earthquake shaking, though some vulnerable structures exist.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
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While Bryant was able to come from behind, the Lady Hornets had a hard time shaking off the Lady Warriors.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Ask me 2-3 questions to understand my constraints, preferences and risk tolerance.—
Cynthia Pong,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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Yet overall, the electrohydraulic steering, electronically adjustable damping, and brake-by-wire system combine for handling that feels as exacting as the monocoque’s tolerances.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Churchgoers can be seen either fleeing the sanctuary, sitting frozen in their seats or trying to reason with the intruders.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Smith dropped both cases after Trump won the 2024 election, citing a Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
No hills means there is no natural grade separation between the railroad and intersecting roads and footpaths.—
Ian Savage,
The Conversation,
14 Jan. 2026
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Court records show DeFoor has faced multiple criminal cases in Hamilton County in recent years, with each proceeding intersecting with findings related to his mental competency.—
Stephen Sorace , Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When the sun is just skimming across the horizon and ducking behind other peaks, all the heat that the sun baked into the snow and rocks during the day evaporates—fast.—
Outside,
Outside,
23 Jan. 2026
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Instead of investigating the botched contract, Driscoll and Healey were ducking and defending the questionable bidding process.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddling. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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