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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as in fence-sitting
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Recent Examples of straddling
Joelle Goldstein, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
That geography has long placed the Central Asian nation at a crossroads, straddling both Europe and Asia.
—Nina Subkhanberdina, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
The first officer to arrive, Robert Allsup, broke through the front door and found Mohammed straddling the victim while holding a kitchen knife, Santa Clara police Chief Cory Morgan said at a news conference days after the shooting.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
Emily gets up on the bar to dance with one of the Magic Mikes at the booth, quickly straddling him to ride him like a bucking bronco.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Puck reported that the staffer accused Murray of straddling her near a prop bed on set and kissing her on the mouth through the face masks that both were wearing under COVID-19 protocols.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The deep alpine lake straddling the state lines of California and Nevada needs no introduction—Lake Tahoe’s sparkling, cobalt blue waters and sweeping Sierra Nevada mountain views have been mesmerizing people for centuries.
—Christina Pérez, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2025
In a world increasingly defined by digital noise and cultural divisions, two contemporary artists from different traditions—Yi Ming in Shanghai and Adetona Omokanye straddling Lagos and Toronto—are anchoring their work in ancestral knowledge and spirituality.
—Byron Armstrong, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Big Bend National Park, Texas Big Bend National Park, which boasts Bortle 1 night skies, is part of the Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve, which in 2022 became the only Dark Sky Reserve straddling the international border with Mexico.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
What unfolded instead was an awkward breakup, featuring Kacie crying, straddling and kissing Patrick, and admitting to cameras that she was not attracted to him.
—Joelle Goldstein, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
That geography has long placed the Central Asian nation at a crossroads, straddling both Europe and Asia.
—Nina Subkhanberdina, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
The first officer to arrive, Robert Allsup, broke through the front door and found Mohammed straddling the victim while holding a kitchen knife, Santa Clara police Chief Cory Morgan said at a news conference days after the shooting.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
Emily gets up on the bar to dance with one of the Magic Mikes at the booth, quickly straddling him to ride him like a bucking bronco.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Puck reported that the staffer accused Murray of straddling her near a prop bed on set and kissing her on the mouth through the face masks that both were wearing under COVID-19 protocols.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The deep alpine lake straddling the state lines of California and Nevada needs no introduction—Lake Tahoe’s sparkling, cobalt blue waters and sweeping Sierra Nevada mountain views have been mesmerizing people for centuries.
—Christina Pérez, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2025
In a world increasingly defined by digital noise and cultural divisions, two contemporary artists from different traditions—Yi Ming in Shanghai and Adetona Omokanye straddling Lagos and Toronto—are anchoring their work in ancestral knowledge and spirituality.
—Byron Armstrong, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Big Bend National Park, Texas Big Bend National Park, which boasts Bortle 1 night skies, is part of the Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve, which in 2022 became the only Dark Sky Reserve straddling the international border with Mexico.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddling
Verb
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Other photos show it while perching on the plant.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
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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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Blahnik said the company has been looking for the right location in town for years and explored a few before zeroing in on the current space spanning more than 2,000 square feet and located on Via Pietro Verri in Milan’s Golden Triangle.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
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Widely regarded as one of the country's most influential political figures, Odinga shaped Kenya's modern democracy over a career spanning more than four decades.—
NPR,
NPR,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In doing movements that don’t feel like a workout in the traditional sense but still leave you shaking and sore the next day.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The child who was allegedly attacked on the bus could then be seen in the footage shaking her head multiple times before the video ended.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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Other highlights include a formal dining room topped with an ornate metal light fixture, an eat-in kitchen outfitted with a professional-grade Dynasty range, an office space, and a spacious primary suite flaunting a sitting area.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
13 Oct. 2025
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According to Canada Post, the previous disruptions will force the carrier to take time to clear the mail and parcels that had been sitting idle within its network.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Two worlds intersecting that couldn’t be further apart.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
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During the 1960s, a period which saw the rise of overlapping and intersecting social movements, many of these student-run papers emerged as uncensored alternatives to traditional outlets such as the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times.—
Joshua Finnell,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While on The Tonight Show, Swift appeared shy when discussing the song’s lyrics, ducking her head down as the house band the Roots began playing a sensual tune.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
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Jasper and Michelle looked for Josie, screaming her name, ducking behind cars to avoid gunfire.—
Georgea Kovanis,
Freep.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Building intergenerational wealth requires a disciplined approach to investing in line with your risk tolerance.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
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Together, the trio's discoveries lay a crucial foundation for understanding another way our immune system keeps itself in check, known as peripheral tolerance — a key to understanding why some people suffer from certain autoimmune diseases while others don't.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Straddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddling. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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