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
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
Earlier this year, repairable computer maker Framework released a laptop that can support a RISC-V mainboard, bringing open-source architecture to the masses—or at least, developers and early adopters interested in straying from mainstream closed architectures.
—Gwendolyn Rak, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Dec. 2025
Other clubs have been punished for straying, though.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
There is her pencil, hovering, pouncing, picking away at punctuation marks, at faulty typography, but never, never straying toward faulty propaganda lines.
—Literary Hub, 8 Dec. 2025
Their voices blend together perfectly, hardly straying from the original framework of the song.
—Sammi Tapper, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2025
Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse The steakhouse on Vine Street is known for its quality and diverse menu options, while not straying from the basics.
—Michael Guise, CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025
Gen Z is increasingly straying from the traditional college path and attending trade schools in an effort to avoid cumbersome student loans while also snagging a well paying job.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2025
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
Earlier this year, repairable computer maker Framework released a laptop that can support a RISC-V mainboard, bringing open-source architecture to the masses—or at least, developers and early adopters interested in straying from mainstream closed architectures.
—Gwendolyn Rak, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Dec. 2025
Other clubs have been punished for straying, though.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
There is her pencil, hovering, pouncing, picking away at punctuation marks, at faulty typography, but never, never straying toward faulty propaganda lines.
—Literary Hub, 8 Dec. 2025
Their voices blend together perfectly, hardly straying from the original framework of the song.
—Sammi Tapper, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2025
Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse The steakhouse on Vine Street is known for its quality and diverse menu options, while not straying from the basics.
—Michael Guise, CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025
Gen Z is increasingly straying from the traditional college path and attending trade schools in an effort to avoid cumbersome student loans while also snagging a well paying job.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straying
Verb
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The human brain is highly susceptible to often unproductive mind-wandering, and modern technology has only made the problem worse.—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
7 Jan. 2026
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The cafe is known for its panoramic view of small planes taking off or landing but also for past concerns about customers wandering off the driveway into the path of taxiing planes.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Our shoulders, hands, and arms may pass through private airspace because the 10th Circuit Court ruled that’s not trespassing.—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
7 Jan. 2026
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The notice warned that anyone who remained could be subject to arrest for trespassing.—
David Hudnall,
Kansas City Star,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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Shop my favorite airport looks for winter travel below, with each outfit falling at or below $100.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straying. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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