as in wandering
to commit an offense
our straying son swears he's returned to the straight and narrow
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Recent Examples of straying
Kraft Heinz has lost out to rivals, with Cahillane saying a recent spate of price hikes alienated consumers who were already straying from its brands in favor of healthier alternatives at a lower cost.
—
Reuters
wire Service, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
Cornyn was quick to respond, reposting remarks from Jonah Wendt, communication director for former Vice President Mike Pence’s Advancing American Freedom, implicitly accusing TPUSA of straying from its founder’s vision with the endorsement.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026
There are spots for potential changes throughout the Yankees’ roster, though there aren’t indications the team plans on straying from the current cast.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
According to the report, a 911 caller said that Gigliotti had walked out of his apartment, hit his head on a vehicle, and started straying into traffic.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 28 Jan. 2026
Set the scene Crossing the threshold of Aman Kyoto is a bit like straying into a fairytale.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
The model has captioned her Instagram photos in multiple languages, bouncing back and forth between them and occasionally straying into other languages that aren’t listed on her résumé.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
Since taking the post, Inboden has criticized universities as straying from their mission, saying universities must restore intellectual diversity and their civic responsibilities.
—Austin American Statesman, 12 Jan. 2026
Ross needs to continue to make bold and unique decisions, straying from his norms.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
Reuters
wire Service, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
Cornyn was quick to respond, reposting remarks from Jonah Wendt, communication director for former Vice President Mike Pence’s Advancing American Freedom, implicitly accusing TPUSA of straying from its founder’s vision with the endorsement.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026
There are spots for potential changes throughout the Yankees’ roster, though there aren’t indications the team plans on straying from the current cast.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
According to the report, a 911 caller said that Gigliotti had walked out of his apartment, hit his head on a vehicle, and started straying into traffic.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 28 Jan. 2026
Set the scene Crossing the threshold of Aman Kyoto is a bit like straying into a fairytale.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
The model has captioned her Instagram photos in multiple languages, bouncing back and forth between them and occasionally straying into other languages that aren’t listed on her résumé.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
Since taking the post, Inboden has criticized universities as straying from their mission, saying universities must restore intellectual diversity and their civic responsibilities.
—Austin American Statesman, 12 Jan. 2026
Ross needs to continue to make bold and unique decisions, straying from his norms.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straying
Verb
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Set a century before the events of Game of Thrones and 72 years after House of the Dragon, A Knight of Seven Kingdom follows two unlikely heroes wandering Westeros … a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), and his diminutive squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Then spend time wandering through Wynwood Walls, an open-air museum featuring large-scale murals by international artists.—
Lauren Schuster,
Kansas City Star,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The lights and constant community presence helped prevent people from trespassing on the property or in nearby alleyways, Blochowicz said.—
Kamal Morgan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Feb. 2026
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According to the Santa Clara Police Department, Alex Gonzalez, 25, and Sebastian Rivera Jimenez, 24, were arrested at the stadium during the game for allegedly trespassing.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But despite the loss, Lucas was pleased with the way several of the players for the Golden Hawks (2-1) came through in the clutch and how the team battled back after falling behind 6-1.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
25 Feb. 2026
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After falling behind by 11 during an uneven first half, the Celtics buried the Suns with a 50-11 run that stretched from midway through the second quarter until late in the third.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straying. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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