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
Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
Also straddling the rock-alternative divide are Baltimore hardcore outfit Turnstile.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2025
Deep inside a pitch-black cave straddling the Albanian-Greek border, researchers have uncovered what may be the largest spider web ever recorded—teeming with more than 111,000 spiders.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
NoiseCat weaves the story of his father’s upbringing among the Secwépemc people with his own experiences straddling two worlds—his mother is white—to explore the multigenerational effects of trauma.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
The only answers in the cards regard what happened to Dinah’s house (and why), which are satisfying enough, if still tightly straddling the lines between affecting and cruel, sensible and conspiratorial.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 2025
In post-Matrix mode, Reeves tries to launch another franchise in a DC Comics adaptation about a man who can see spirits on Earth and is doomed to atone for a suicide attempt by straddling the divide twixt Heaven and Hell.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
Look at The Market Place, a 130-store shopping center just off the 5 Freeway straddling Irvine and Tustin.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
But the adjacent plot straddling the riverbed has been taken over by galamsey workers after her brother leased his land to an Asian businessman.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
As Jaramillo was on top of Rustrian, straddling him, Rustrian grabbed Jaramillo’s gun and shot him several times, the video showed and Cordero-Stutz confirmed.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
Also straddling the rock-alternative divide are Baltimore hardcore outfit Turnstile.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2025
Deep inside a pitch-black cave straddling the Albanian-Greek border, researchers have uncovered what may be the largest spider web ever recorded—teeming with more than 111,000 spiders.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
NoiseCat weaves the story of his father’s upbringing among the Secwépemc people with his own experiences straddling two worlds—his mother is white—to explore the multigenerational effects of trauma.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
The only answers in the cards regard what happened to Dinah’s house (and why), which are satisfying enough, if still tightly straddling the lines between affecting and cruel, sensible and conspiratorial.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 2025
In post-Matrix mode, Reeves tries to launch another franchise in a DC Comics adaptation about a man who can see spirits on Earth and is doomed to atone for a suicide attempt by straddling the divide twixt Heaven and Hell.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
Look at The Market Place, a 130-store shopping center just off the 5 Freeway straddling Irvine and Tustin.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
But the adjacent plot straddling the riverbed has been taken over by galamsey workers after her brother leased his land to an Asian businessman.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddling
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 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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Mirren’s credits include The Queen, The Madness of King George, Red, the Fast & Furious franchise, Gosford Park, Trumbo and Hitchcock, among many others, and her decades-spanning career have earned her various accolades such as an Oscar, five Emmys, SAG, BAFTA and a Tony Award.—
Beatrice Verhoeven,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
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Paramount+ will stream live coverage of the full PBR Unleash The Beast, a competition spanning five months in 19 cities across 17 states.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Just two weeks ago, Japan’s new prime minister Sanae Takaichi was shaking hands with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
12 Nov. 2025
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As the title suggests, this sprawling tale centers on Raja, a man in his sixties who lives with his mother in Beirut, a city shaking with political and ecological turmoil.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The data suggest CEOs are preparing for a period of tighter margins and unpredictable input costs, but are still wary of testing customers’ tolerance for price hikes too quickly.—
Lance Lambert,
Fortune,
11 Nov. 2025
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Travelers are advised to consider their tolerance for uncertainty and create backup plans, as restoring normal flight operations will take time.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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While the big luxury brands spent the pandemic and post-pandemic era driving up prices on shoppers who were sitting at home and looking to spend, the sector is now feeling the aftereffects with much shakier sales in a challenging consumer landscape.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
10 Nov. 2025
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So the thing that’s exciting me, even more than sitting behind the judges table and being on television, is hanging out with my friends.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The types of care proposed for the campus on Rosecrans attempt to ensure that there is a smooth ramp of services capable of intersecting with a wide range of symptom severity, from moderate anxiety to suicidal ideation.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Oct. 2025
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The EPs build upon that song, fully celebrating themes of family, love and emotional struggle, wrapping it in sounds intersecting modern country and Latin music.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Take the train from Copenhagen in under three hours and wander Aarhus’s pretty streets strung with Christmas lights, ducking into boutiques and cafés before making your way to one of two Christmas markets.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
27 Oct. 2025
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For a moment, Smith became overwhelmed, ducking to the side of the pillar while wiping tears away.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Straddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddling. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
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