as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
stray sightings of UFO's, none of which have been rigorously analyzed by scientists
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to trespass
to commit an offense
our straying son swears he's returned to the straight and narrow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stray
ABC News, 14 May 2026
The government has been under pressure over its handling of multiple incidents involving stray drones suspected to be from Ukraine crossing into Latvian territory.
—Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
The lawsuit centers on Musk’s claims that OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has strayed from its original mission as a nonprofit research center.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stray
Adjective
Her resignation came after Latvia’s Defense Minister Andris Spruds, from the Progressives Party, was forced to resign last week over the government’s handling of multiple incidents involving stray drones suspected to be from Ukraine crossing into Latvian territory.
—ABC News, 14 May 2026
The government has been under pressure over its handling of multiple incidents involving stray drones suspected to be from Ukraine crossing into Latvian territory.
—Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Verb
Meanwhile, civilians fall victim to stray bullets.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
The lawsuit centers on Musk’s claims that OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has strayed from its original mission as a nonprofit research center.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stray
Adjective
-
The Tennessee Titans went back to the streets quizzing random people in their schedule reveal in a twist to the team’s 2023 schedule reveal.—
Teresa M. Walker,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
-
In 2019, Mohsin went to pick up his mother at her vegetable stand in Nyala, South Darfur, when armed men stormed the area and shot villagers at random.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Walking on private ground without permission is clearly trespassing in Montana.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
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Washington explained what happened the night a man trespassed onto airport property, and then was hit and killed by an airplane in the process of takeoff.—
Chierstin Roth,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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So how do teams turn scattered tactics into a coherent system?—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
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In that case, most areas will see scattered rain, but the more robust cells could produce brief, heavy downpours.—
Ahmad Bajjey,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Some were like Rex, found wandering the streets and turned in to the sanctuary.—
Alina Hartounian,
NPR,
18 May 2026
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Neighbors said Dahir would frequently wander around, according to WDRB.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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According to Sánchez Blanco, González López oversaw the machinery that allowed arbitrary arrests, torture and the defiance of judicial release orders to occur.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
11 May 2026
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The day itself may be arbitrary, but the sentiment behind it is not.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Only two were earned, but they were all deserved after Rodón fell apart in the third frame.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
17 May 2026
-
Chelsea’s squad demographic falls somewhere in between but is probably closer to the former than the latter, and a football legend with his resume should not encounter the authority problems faced by owner BlueCo’s previous hires.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stray. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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