STRAYING Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words

straying

verb

present participle of stray

as in wandering

to commit an offense our straying son swears he's returned to the straight and narrow

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 straying If straps are a nonnegotiable for you, this floral maxi dress has spaghetti straps that offer a bit more support without straying from Brunson’s A+ style. — Melony Forcier, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026 Some of those losses stemmed from carelessness, with his supreme confidence occasionally straying into casualness. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 22 July 2026 Although Martha’s thoughts are clouded by her desire to undo Anne’s condition, her section also abides by the terms of realism, never straying too far from what could be considered ordinary life. — Literary Hub, 17 July 2026 Hundreds of wild horses straying outside a swath of territory spanning California and Nevada are set to be rounded up starting Wednesday, July 8. — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 8 July 2026 About 50 yards below me a water fence is built out into the river to keep cattle from straying. — Ralph Tuttle, Outdoor Life, 25 June 2026 This is a commonsense safety upgrade that would enable drivers to tether their horses and prevent them from straying. — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 22 June 2026 Over the decades the O’odham placed some barbed wire along the border to keep livestock from straying into the neighboring country, limiting the spread of maladies such as foot-and-mouth disease and hindering cattle thieves. — Geraldo L. Cadava, The Atlantic, 20 June 2026 The incursion underscores a growing pattern of Russian and Ukrainian drones straying into Eastern Europe, raising questions about air defenses as NATO and EU leaders condemn Moscow and weigh further sanctions. — Stephen McGrath, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for straying

Verb

And the wandering king’s son and heir, Telemachus (Tom Holland), is convinced his father is still alive and sets off to find him.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026
Natalie, meanwhile, finds Zack wandering back toward the house, unharmed, having simply walked out of rehab.

— JP Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026

Definition of wandering

Verb

On Monday, an 18-year-old was seriously injured after falling onto an elevated platform.

— Ubah Ali, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
One thing seems certain — any Chinese citizen with this type of account needs to be paying attention to their obligations, and the sooner the better, to avoid falling afoul of the new mandate.

— Anniek Bao,Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026