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
Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
However, Turkey, which is considered a transcontinental country (straddling Asia and Europe), has a staggering 577 Blue Flag beaches—enough for a lifetime’s worth of unforgettable summer vacations.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026
Since the seventies, the famed Nuyorican Poets Café has blossomed on the Lower East Side as an essential hothouse for arts movements of many stripes, perhaps most crucially as a launching pad for an emergent literati straddling the realms of soul and hip-hop.
—Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
But in April, a pair of cyclones straddling the equator caused the wind direction to reverse.
—Pedro Dinezio, The Conversation, 14 May 2026
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
Verb
Someone would start a cheer, others would join in, and the commotion would attract a new wave of attention, phones open to streaming apps, the entire scene straddling the line between performance and audience.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
However, Turkey, which is considered a transcontinental country (straddling Asia and Europe), has a staggering 577 Blue Flag beaches—enough for a lifetime’s worth of unforgettable summer vacations.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026
Since the seventies, the famed Nuyorican Poets Café has blossomed on the Lower East Side as an essential hothouse for arts movements of many stripes, perhaps most crucially as a launching pad for an emergent literati straddling the realms of soul and hip-hop.
—Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
But in April, a pair of cyclones straddling the equator caused the wind direction to reverse.
—Pedro Dinezio, The Conversation, 14 May 2026
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
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 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
-
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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The donation includes approximately 150,000 production documents and 5,000 photographs spanning Brooks’ decadeslong career as a writer, performer, director and producer.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
17 May 2026
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With Palacio Films now fully launched, Nussenbaum is developing several projects spanning memory, mental health and identity.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
The other shows the two world leaders shaking hands.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
-
Rinse under cold water 1 minute, shaking to ensure a thorough rinse.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Eager to elevate your outdoor space ahead of porch-sitting season?—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
-
The central bank’s monetary policy arm, the Federal Open Market Committee, sets rates based on current economic conditions and outlook, not the demands of a sitting president.—
Lucy Bayly,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
In 2026, memorabilia showcases the America 250 logo, which features red, white and blue lines intersecting to form the triple-digit landmark number.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
Like Ophelia’s Got Talent, and intersecting with many of its themes, A Year Without Summer is all about bodily monstrosities.—
Caroline Lillian Schopp,
Artforum,
13 May 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 24 May. 2026.
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