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
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
However, a stray thermal vibration can scramble qubit states in quantum computing or degrade the coherence in quantum sensors.
—Etiido Uko
march 23, New Atlas, 23 Mar. 2026
Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The Solterra doesn’t stray far from Subaru’s long-standing boxy look.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stray
Adjective
Security forces, private contractors and self-defense groups have also been at fault, hitting bystanders with stray bullets and explosive drones.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
However, a stray thermal vibration can scramble qubit states in quantum computing or degrade the coherence in quantum sensors.
—Etiido Uko
march 23, New Atlas, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
But many Cubans blame their own leaders for mismanaging the economy — and straying from the ideals of Castro’s revolution.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The Solterra doesn’t stray far from Subaru’s long-standing boxy look.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stray
Adjective
-
The air rang with random alarms; the soft surfaces were mottled with mystery stains.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The sentence, arrived at via a sequence of random numbers thrown out by the group itself, begins the eighth paragraph of page 432 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.—
Séamas O'Reilly,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Transit officials said the fence was essential and long overdue to prevent people from trespassing on the tracks and being killed, as trains were becoming faster and more frequent.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
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On Monday, March 2, two weeks before the fire, the person living in the basement apartment in the building complained to the property manager that Slate was trespassing in the maintenance and boiler area, Pekara said.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Earlier sunshine way to clouds and scattered rain as the first, in a series, of passing systems brings brief wet weather to Maryland.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
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And in legislative committees and in debate on Wednesday, sponsors of the new requirement didn’t cite evidence of more than scattered cases in which non-citizens may have voted.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi Even if not a huge art buff, take the five minutes to wander to the Contarelli chapel inside this small catholic church which is just a short stroll from the Pantheon.—
CNT Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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At least one wolf wandered into parts of southern Jefferson County and western Douglas County in the last month, according to the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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What’s to blame for all these arbitrary governing principles?—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
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Black folks have seen the face of the US’s prerogative state—the side of the government that dispenses arbitrary jurisprudence, discriminatory law enforcement, and violence against those who challenge its authority and dominant ideologies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Night fell, and Martha came to a small black lake.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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Photos shared on social media shows the massive slabs of rock fell just past a blind curve and the SUV sustained major front-end damage.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stray. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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