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
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Low-hanging branches can catch fire, and dry leaves or shrubs nearby can ignite from stray embers.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026
Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 4 May 2026
Her family had 15 cats and several dogs, most of them strays.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stray
Adjective
There was a stray pop on The Daily Show when Gaten Matarazzo said food should be edible, and one person cheered for the Axis powers during WWII on The Tonight Show during Francesco De Carlo’s stand-up set.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Low-hanging branches can catch fire, and dry leaves or shrubs nearby can ignite from stray embers.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
Given the gulf between the two sides, China will not stray too far from its playbook during the forthcoming meeting, Chinese sources indicated.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 4 May 2026
Her family had 15 cats and several dogs, most of them strays.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stray
Adjective
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Even if the threshold for disagreement was quite low, disagreements were amplified to the point that each random interaction was increasingly likely to exceed the threshold.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 May 2026
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But as some have learned the hard way, that tendency of random things to appear to form patterns means that the other peak might be just noise.—
Faye Flam,
Scientific American,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Residents of the Pyramid Acres subdivision in southwest Tarrant County say landowner Nancy Rimmer has unlawfully blocked their access to Bear Creek, a navigable public waterway, by posting no-trespassing signs, installing surveillance cameras and hiring armed guards.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 May 2026
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Hours after his release, North Patrol Deputies responded to a business near Fair Oaks Boulevard and San Lucas Way for a report of the same man trespassing on property.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
3 May 2026
Adjective
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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
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There are a few, scattered references to female gladiators.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As anyone familiar with East Tennessee knows, black bears wandering through Gatlinburg neighborhoods, parking lots and hotels is hardly unusual this time of year.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
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The best date is just wandering the old town.—
Riza Cruz,
Vogue,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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The fundamental processes governing brain health — genetics, neural and synaptic plasticity, and neuroinflammation — do not respect the arbitrary boundaries drawn between neurology and psychiatry.—
Eric J. Nestler,
STAT,
28 Apr. 2026
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White-Jacket did cause a stir with its discussion of the arbitrary and cruel use of flogging in the US Navy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Huntington Beach fell behind early in the second set but continued to keep the set close before Fruerbringer’s kill gave the Mustangs a 16-11 lead.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
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After a jump ball, Miles chased down the ball at midcourt, started to drive and passed to Hof, whose layup at the buzzer did not fall.—
Mike Cook,
Twin Cities,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stray. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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