straggler

Definition of stragglernext
as in snail
someone who moves slowly or more slowly than others by three o'clock, only a few stragglers were still making their painful way to the marathon's finish

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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 straggler The daffodils here were almost finished, apart from one little patch of stragglers still flowering on heroically against the odds. — Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026 Swarms or stragglers are most likely to be spotted near the Great Lakes shorelines because the lakes help funnel their routes. — Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 14 Sep. 2026 But as Marty Supreme proved last year, debuting after the rest of the competition can also feel a bit like being the lone straggler in a bike race who escapes the cascading crash that takes out everyone else. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026 Riders work in teams to guide the animals, collecting wayward groups and stragglers. — Mary Beaumont, Midwest Living, 25 Aug. 2026 Earnings season is winding down, but a few stragglers in the portfolio are still left to report this week. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2026 On the streets below, vendors are hawking bootleg merchandise as stragglers from the festivities color the sidewalks with blue-and-orange jerseys and hats. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026 Saldaña, too, was at the party until the final stragglers began to head home. — Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 30 July 2026 Some of us stragglers just needed to watch a bit more of him. — Zach Harper, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straggler
snail
Noun
  • Now, researchers studying Japanese land snails have identified a gene that helps determine whether their shells coil clockwise or counterclockwise, offering new clues into how animals develop their left and right sides.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • These under-eye saviors revitalize tired-looking eyes with eight firming peptides and snail mucin to deliver a deep boost of hydration.
    — Vivien Lee, InStyle, 15 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Straggler.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straggler. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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