as in wanders
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 strays
Internet commenters and auto critics responded negatively, saying the Luce strays from the brand’s usual aesthetic.
—
Alexa St. John, Fortune, 27 May 2026
The distributor plans a moderate national expansion to about 375 screens (exact number still TBD) next week to let world of mouth percolate for the popular TIFF-premiering heist thriller by Daniel Roher about a piano tuner (up-and-comer Leo Woodall) who strays into safecracking.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 24 May 2026
Her family had 15 cats and several dogs, most of them strays.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
The Alma set is an elevated geometric option for the person who prefers a pattern that strays from the traditional stripe or floral.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
Bridget Woodman, with the research group Zero Carbon Analytics, said that as the world strays farther off track from its climate goals, nuclear can look deceptively more enticing than other less risky alternatives, like renewable energy.
—ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026
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, 22 Feb. 2026
Becket questions some of his actions from time to time but never really strays from the path.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Developed by Fox Estates—which also holds the listing—and designed by Studio MTN, the home intentionally strays from typical clichés, forgoing the rustic vibes of classic mountain properties in favor a softer, more restrained style.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2026
Alexa St. John, Fortune, 27 May 2026
The distributor plans a moderate national expansion to about 375 screens (exact number still TBD) next week to let world of mouth percolate for the popular TIFF-premiering heist thriller by Daniel Roher about a piano tuner (up-and-comer Leo Woodall) who strays into safecracking.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 24 May 2026
Her family had 15 cats and several dogs, most of them strays.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
The Alma set is an elevated geometric option for the person who prefers a pattern that strays from the traditional stripe or floral.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
Bridget Woodman, with the research group Zero Carbon Analytics, said that as the world strays farther off track from its climate goals, nuclear can look deceptively more enticing than other less risky alternatives, like renewable energy.
—ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026
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, 22 Feb. 2026
Becket questions some of his actions from time to time but never really strays from the path.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Developed by Fox Estates—which also holds the listing—and designed by Studio MTN, the home intentionally strays from typical clichés, forgoing the rustic vibes of classic mountain properties in favor a softer, more restrained style.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strays
Verb
-
The film is at its best early on, as Clark wanders through a physical environment that, to his mind and ours, has no obvious origin and no clear reason to exist.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
-
Nova Scotia might not be where your mind wanders when thinking of a stereotypical surf scene—but the raw coastline and Atlantic swells do actually make for some pretty great surfing when the weather is participating.—
Kaitlyn McInnis,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
And as if managing the spotlight and headlines weren’t enough, Austin trips and falls right in front of Diego Cruz, his attractive, flirty rival.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
-
But the proud born-again evangelical is channeling the zeal of an old-fashioned tent revival, even if some of his rhetoric falls far outside the bounds of the Good Book.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 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
-
God’s likeness, which is our true, spiritual identity, never sins and is never punished.—
Tony Lobl,
Christian Science Monitor,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strays. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
