1
as in wrecking
to cause irreparable damage to (a ship) by running aground or sinking
the ghostly remains of ships that had been stranded by the reef
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in leaving
to cause to remain behind
he just drove off, stranding her in some dinky town with just a few bucks and the clothes she was wearing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stranding
Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 19 Feb. 2026
The right-hander’s troubles started after back-to-back walks in the first inning loaded the bases, which ultimately yielded two runs, though Davis avoided a disastrous inning by stranding runners on second and third with a groundout.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Feb. 2026
The book’s bleak contemporary lesson is that stranding people in a quasi-legal black site is easier than releasing them.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
The scale of this year’s snowfall temporarily closed Hokkaido’s main airport last week, stranding hundreds of passengers, while snarling other travel, delaying train services and forcing the closure of some highways.
—Reuters, NBC news, 4 Feb. 2026
Their window of opportunity only lasted the weekend — if the scientists didn’t secure the instruments by Monday, an approaching front of bad weather would prevent helicopters from extracting them, effectively stranding them for an indeterminate period of time.
—Joe Wilkins Published Feb 4, Futurism, 4 Feb. 2026
After Bradley begrudgingly invites Linda to join him on a work trip, his private jet crashes in the Gulf of Thailand, stranding the pair on a remote beach, Linda’s devotion to Survivor suddenly gets put to good use.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
At its busiest last year, Deming said the center was rescuing seven to nine animals a day in addition to dolphins that were stranding on beaches.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
The flight path ensures the safe return of the Artemis 2 crew and Orion, without the possibility of a malfunction stranding them in lunar orbit.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Noun
The stranding took place at Bigbury Beach in South Devon, about 230 miles southwest of London, according to a statement from the Devon Wildlife Trust, a local conservation charity.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
The incident, which took place about five miles downstream of New Bullards Bar Dam, led to the deaths of hundreds, possibly thousands, of juvenile salmon after lower Yuba’s river flows dropped by more than half and remained low for roughly two hours, stranding fish along the margins of the river.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 19 Feb. 2026
The right-hander’s troubles started after back-to-back walks in the first inning loaded the bases, which ultimately yielded two runs, though Davis avoided a disastrous inning by stranding runners on second and third with a groundout.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Feb. 2026
The book’s bleak contemporary lesson is that stranding people in a quasi-legal black site is easier than releasing them.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
The scale of this year’s snowfall temporarily closed Hokkaido’s main airport last week, stranding hundreds of passengers, while snarling other travel, delaying train services and forcing the closure of some highways.
—Reuters, NBC news, 4 Feb. 2026
Their window of opportunity only lasted the weekend — if the scientists didn’t secure the instruments by Monday, an approaching front of bad weather would prevent helicopters from extracting them, effectively stranding them for an indeterminate period of time.
—Joe Wilkins Published Feb 4, Futurism, 4 Feb. 2026
After Bradley begrudgingly invites Linda to join him on a work trip, his private jet crashes in the Gulf of Thailand, stranding the pair on a remote beach, Linda’s devotion to Survivor suddenly gets put to good use.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
At its busiest last year, Deming said the center was rescuing seven to nine animals a day in addition to dolphins that were stranding on beaches.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
The flight path ensures the safe return of the Artemis 2 crew and Orion, without the possibility of a malfunction stranding them in lunar orbit.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stranding
Verb
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From tiny insects like flies and butterflies at the edge of the frame, to large mountains, clouds full of rain, even great wrecking machines — everything is animated with precision and beauty.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
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But the $1 million community project fund brought by Lee to the borough won't be used to hire contractors and their wrecking crews.—
Tory Wegerski,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Before leaving, secure your home by locking it.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The rain started early in the morning and continued well into the night, soaking busy freeways in the midst of rush hour traffic and leaving some businesses and homes flooded.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
So much so that by June 1870, Rillet filed a trademark injunction with the New York Supreme Court, trying to stop a competitor who had borrowed the name while abandoning the process.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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At the same time, resilience isn’t about abandoning them to fend for themselves, either—instead parents should strive to strike a balance between the two extremes.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Thanks to the shipwrecks, which offer protection, the sand tiger sharks gather in great numbers, making the Crystal Coast one of the best places to see them in the world.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2026
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The 24-year-old diving boat, named the Nekton Rorqual, delayed its fate, but still ended up a shipwreck.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The wreck is in the same area where the founder of the exploration organization died in June 2024.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Only a wreck or oddly conservative run could take them off the medal stand and Shiffrin skied tentatively, leaving the Americans fourth.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The video did not mention any specific orders, but the six were plainly referring to the sinking of Venezuelan ships in international waters topped off by the killing of survivors clinging to the wreckage of their vessel.—
James D. Zirin,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
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The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the sinking.—
Michael Casey,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stranding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stranding. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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