strayed

Definition of strayednext
past tense of stray

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of strayed And when receiving feedback on their performance in challenges from week to week, panel critiques frequently strayed from modeling prowess to aesthetics. Hunter Lacey, Allure, 16 Feb. 2026 The House proposal appears to be a direct response, as well as an effort to reassert legislative control over spending some lawmakers say has strayed far beyond the fund’s original purpose. Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026 But his defender, rookie Maxime Raynaud, strayed from Allen too soon. Fred Katz, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026 Inflation has weighed on shoppers, and customers have voiced frustration over cluttered stores and inconsistent merchandise that strayed from the retailer’s identity as a polished, affordable-chic chain. Emily Lorsch, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026 The award-winning actress strayed from her signature soft wave aesthetic with the help of stylist Bryce Scarlett, whose A-list client roster also includes Mia Goth, Charli XCX and Hailey Bieber. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 29 Jan. 2026 Some of that era’s optimism has since waned, as the prevailing conversation in hip-hop these days is a sense that the genre has strayed too far from its roots. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2026 Characters who strayed were guided back into alignment, not violently eliminated. Will Ripley, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026 Arkansas, however, strayed away from its identity and quickly fell behind 15 points at halftime. Arkansas Online, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strayed
Verb
  • Kelly insisted to the Washington Examiner that they were invited into the church, countering claims that the protesters trespassed.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 22 Jan. 2026
  • The suit also alleges agents regularly trespassed on private property and used riot weapons, like tear gas, on people who weren’t resisting.
    Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Cortina Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi received death threats after centuries-old trees were felled to make way for a $131 million bobsledding track.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Afterward, Agnes and I were felled by the kind of hunger that overtakes only those who have exerted themselves in cold weather.
    Boris Fishman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Afterward, as the home stood unguarded, reporters, photographers and others wandered the property, walking to the front door and capturing video of blood drops along the porch.
    Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Sun Ra’s intro wandered, appealingly arrhythmic.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Strayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strayed. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on strayed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!