as in wanders
to commit an offense
our straying son swears he's returned to the straight and narrow
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Recent Examples of strays
Where he was born never strays from Bobby’s mind.
—
Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
Despite the sidebars into prickly themes, the book never strays far from what its subtitle promises.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
Shah hopes this framework strays from rigid nutrition advice that tells women to get on restrictive diets that demonize certain foods and are hard to follow and sustain.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 30 Dec. 2025
In the final slide of the post, the actress shares a video clip of one unusual decoration at her home that seemingly strays from the Christmas theme.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025
The best time to trim leggy or strays stems, shoots, vines, and branches is during the plant’s growing season.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2025
Merciless, vile, and downright sadistic, The Rite delivers stunning entertainment that strays away from depending on shadows and eerie atmospheres.
—Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Balenciaga strays away from a more experimental fashion approach the maison has been pushing under Demna, but also under its founder.
—Alex Wynne, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2025
Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician whose support was key to Kennedy’s final confirmation, and Senator John Barrasso, a surgeon and the number two Republican in the Senate, who rarely strays from the party line.
—ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
Despite the sidebars into prickly themes, the book never strays far from what its subtitle promises.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
Shah hopes this framework strays from rigid nutrition advice that tells women to get on restrictive diets that demonize certain foods and are hard to follow and sustain.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 30 Dec. 2025
In the final slide of the post, the actress shares a video clip of one unusual decoration at her home that seemingly strays from the Christmas theme.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025
The best time to trim leggy or strays stems, shoots, vines, and branches is during the plant’s growing season.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2025
Merciless, vile, and downright sadistic, The Rite delivers stunning entertainment that strays away from depending on shadows and eerie atmospheres.
—Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Balenciaga strays away from a more experimental fashion approach the maison has been pushing under Demna, but also under its founder.
—Alex Wynne, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2025
Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician whose support was key to Kennedy’s final confirmation, and Senator John Barrasso, a surgeon and the number two Republican in the Senate, who rarely strays from the party line.
—ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strays
Verb
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When Elizabeth wanders down below and sees the Creature, the two are mesmerized by one another.—
Jenelle Riley,
Variety,
14 Jan. 2026
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Where is that strange, clueless child who wanders from cause to cause, Greta Thunberg?—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The cold air is then expected to stay in place through the beginning of February, ensuring that whatever snow falls this weekend will stay on the ground for a while.—
Matthew Villafane,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
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Only one other player has been ever elected by the writers with 1,500 or fewer hits — Roy Campanella (1,422) in 1969 — and that total falls far short of the average career hit mark for all Hall of Fame batters, which is 2,330.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
John DeWitt, the four-star general who oversaw the internment program, in particular, seems to be a forerunner to some of America's worst errors, paranoia, sins.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
1 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strays. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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