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
Relevance
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
Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
A couple who started feeding a stray puppy on vacation have melted hearts with the adorable adoption journey that ensued.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Cerys Jones, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
The Context Willett said a driver was turning onto a road, strayed from it and crashed into the building, rupturing a natural gas line—and left the scene in the vehicle before being found afterward.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stray
Adjective
There was also damage to vehicles parked near the scene from stray bullets, O'Hara said.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
A couple who started feeding a stray puppy on vacation have melted hearts with the adorable adoption journey that ensued.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
For instance, another element of the Participant Charter was reinforcing the expectation that managers stay within the confines of their technical area during a match and don’t stray further down the touchline or out onto the pitch.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
The Context Willett said a driver was turning onto a road, strayed from it and crashed into the building, rupturing a natural gas line—and left the scene in the vehicle before being found afterward.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stray
Adjective
-
The bookstore idea came from a random day at her local coffee shop and an empty stall in the strip mall.—
Rick Mauch,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
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During a random search of the area, two officers accidentally stumble on a member of the gang posing as a municipal worker in a high-viz boiler suit.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Come prepared with water, food, and rope, and take extra care not to trespass by staying in the riverbed.—
Eva Frederick,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Sep. 2025
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There were, after all, the men who trespassed, as if my young body was theirs to forage.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The result was a mile-long line that turned scattered craftwork into synchronized production.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Aug. 2025
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More likely, a supernova occurs inside a galaxy loaded with numerous, scattered clouds of gas and dust.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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While there’s not a lot to see and do, every bit of it is worth experiencing, so pick a pretty day and wander over to Waverly for a few hours of chatting with friendly folks, digging into good food, and scouring shelves for cool finds.—
Jennifer Stewart Kornegay,
Southern Living,
3 Sep. 2025
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Whether sailing across Lake Zurich or wandering the Kunsthaus, the city reveals itself seductively.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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If senior figures display rudeness or disrespect, employees may assume that such behavior is acceptable, making selective enforcement seem arbitrary and undermining of trust.—
Andrew Binns,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Moreover, Burroughs further held that the administration’s actions were arbitrary and capricious, in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).—
Noah Feldman,
Twin Cities,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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National Weather Service meteorologists consider forecasting waterspouts during the late summer and fall whenever large, cool air masses overspread the waters of the Great Lakes.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Department of Buildings told CBS News New York and News 12 Long Island that a 10-by-10-inch section of the ceiling collapsed due to possible water damage, and pieces of the building fell on customers dining inside.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stray. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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