as in fence-sitting
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
3
as in shaking
to agree with or seem to agree with two opposite sides of (something)
The politician straddled the issue for weeks.
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of straddling
Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
Istanbul, Turkey Istanbul’s walkability comes from its layered history and dramatic setting straddling Europe and Asia.
—Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the roughly mile-long waterfall is the dramatic centerpiece of the mighty Zambezi River, straddling the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2026
Gaming hardware also saw some Memorial Day discounts, and this Alienware portable is a midrange monster, straddling the gap between price and performance better than most.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 26 May 2026
The northernmost province in Italy, bordering Austria and Switzerland and straddling the Alps and Dolomites, Alto Adige has a dual personality.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 24 May 2026
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
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
Verb
There’s a fine line between lucky and cursed, however, and Pulisic is straddling it.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
Istanbul, Turkey Istanbul’s walkability comes from its layered history and dramatic setting straddling Europe and Asia.
—Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the roughly mile-long waterfall is the dramatic centerpiece of the mighty Zambezi River, straddling the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2026
Gaming hardware also saw some Memorial Day discounts, and this Alienware portable is a midrange monster, straddling the gap between price and performance better than most.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 26 May 2026
The northernmost province in Italy, bordering Austria and Switzerland and straddling the Alps and Dolomites, Alto Adige has a dual personality.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 24 May 2026
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
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
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
-
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
-
The winner is almost sure to win the seat in November over token Republican opposition in the deep-blue district spanning the Upper East Side and Upper West Side that Nadler held for more than three decades.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
-
Handout | Via Reuters On Friday, tens of thousands of BTS fans will descend on Busan, South Korea, as the seven-member group stages its second stop in the country as part of their world-spanning Arirang tour.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Twenty minutes later, Balogun scored again, after shaking off a tackle and sending the ball just inside the goalpost.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
13 June 2026
-
In the post-game interview, asked how the victory felt to share with his father, Brunson paused shaking his head, too overwhelmed to speak.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Sentinels would also have to go through a background review, fingerprinting and criminal records check, along with psychological and medical evaluations that test their stress tolerance, emotional stability and fitness.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Dec. 2025
-
This Department of Justice has no tolerance for undemocratic judicial activism.—
Alexander Mallin,
ABC News,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Before the shooting, Stallings and a woman walked into the convenience store as Washington and another person were allegedly sitting and playing video games near the door, talking and laughing.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
12 Dec. 2025
-
There is also the possibility that, should Manuel land on a sitting head coach, the trickle-down effect makes this carousel spin like an unprecedented cyclone.—
David Close,
CNN Money,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The narrative unravels a web of dark, intersecting secrets within a residential building, catalyzed by the mysterious disappearance of a young boy on the winter solstice.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
1 June 2026
-
Footage of giant yellow black-eyed Susan flowers beams onto the wall from one projector, intersecting with video of swaying plants from another.—
Solvej Schou,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Glass exploded across the dining room as the pair scrambled from their booth, ducking for cover while stunned employees froze in place.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
19 Aug. 2025
-
See below in another example, drawing defenders in with the initial short pass, before ducking onto his opposite foot and sliding the ball through for Nico Gonzalez to attack.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Straddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddling. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
