1
as in to perch
to be in or move into a seated or standing position with your legs on either side of (something)
She straddled the horse and waited for her riding partner to mount.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to span
to be on both sides of (something)
The town straddles the river. The movie straddles the line between comedy and drama.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to shake
to agree with or seem to agree with two opposite sides of (something)
The politician straddled the issue for weeks.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of straddle
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed restarting direct peace talks Thursday with Ukraine in the Turkish city that straddles Asia and Europe.
—
Dasha Litvinova, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
The area is filled with encampments that straddle either side of the tracks.
—Ian Lee
may 13, CBS News, 13 May 2025
Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia — the Bosporus Strait, which runs through the city, is the dividing line between the two continents — but Turkey is not part of the EU.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 1 May 2025
The Future Belongs to Technically Fluent, Strategically Centered Leaders
As AI, automation, and digital infrastructure redefine every sector, the future of leadership belongs to those who can straddle the line between strategy and systems.
—Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for straddle
Dasha Litvinova, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
The area is filled with encampments that straddle either side of the tracks.
—Ian Lee
may 13, CBS News, 13 May 2025
Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia — the Bosporus Strait, which runs through the city, is the dividing line between the two continents — but Turkey is not part of the EU.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 1 May 2025
The Future Belongs to Technically Fluent, Strategically Centered Leaders
As AI, automation, and digital infrastructure redefine every sector, the future of leadership belongs to those who can straddle the line between strategy and systems.
—Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for straddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddle
Verb
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The origin of the tradition was in 1936, when Louis Meyer, after having won his third Indy 500, sat perched on his car and had a bottle of buttermilk in his left hand.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2025
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Visit the Vik Myrdal Church perched on a hill and explore the nearby Dyrhólaey promontory for panoramic views.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Verb
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While bustling cities abound across the region, visitors are always just a short drive away from an oasis of calm, with options spanning from pristine beaches to craggy caves to tropical rainforests that are rife with native wildlife.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
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The price tag ballooned as Cruise and writer-director Christopher McQuarrie (who helmed the past three entries as well) worked on the film through COVID protocols, two Hollywood strikes and inflation increases spanning a years-long production.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
24 May 2025
Verb
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In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (R) after a signing ceremony following their bilateral talks at Kumsusan state residence in Pyongyang, on June 19, 2024.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
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The ban, now on emergency pause by Burroughs, already has shaken some of the world’s brightest thinkers at a school often heralded as a premier global hub of higher learning.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Jan sits alone at the table, stunned and bathed in the bright beam shining through the window.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
26 May 2025
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In one photo shared by professional boxer and MMA fighter Jose Andres Cortes, Swift and Kelce could be seen sitting side by side in a booth at the restaurant.—
Natasha Dye,
People.com,
26 May 2025
Verb
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Intertwined with vivid descriptions of the horrific collateral damage in the city itself are intersecting narratives that remind us how persistently the dramas of daily life can exist even when the world is in flames.—
Alida Becker,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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The dispute raises critical questions about community governance limits when personal tributes intersect with aesthetic regulations.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 May 2025
Verb
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In May 1926, the world-famous evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson vanished; she was last seen ducking into the ocean near Santa Monica for a swim.—
Dorothy Fortenberry,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2025
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Anna Wintour was a pretty One Fifth regular for whom McNally once ducked behind a stove to cook eggs after the kitchen had closed.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Verb
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Humanity bestrides the planet, explores the cosmos, and continues to reshape itself because humans are the world’s most inventive, adaptable animal.—
Nicholas Eberstadt,
Foreign Affairs,
10 Oct. 2024
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The United States will once again bestride the world like a colossus deterring enemies and making other nations safe from the likes of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.—
Armstrong Williams,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Nov. 2024
Verb
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And today there’s a big casino with roller skating where Old Man Dill used to moor the three leaky skiffs which comprised his boat livery.—
Ted Janes,
Outdoor Life,
29 May 2025
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The foursome, who comprise the SpitLip comedy troupe, share a dry sense of humor and a penchant for talking a mile a minute.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Straddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddle. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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