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
Death Valley National Park straddles the California–Nevada border.
—
Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2025
Brian Calder’s life and family have always straddled the 49th Parallel — the line on the map that divides much of the United States from Canada.
—Omar Jimenez, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
In March, new border-security rules altered Canadians’ longstanding access to a library straddling the Vermont-Quebec border.
—Riley Robinson, Christian Science Monitor, 6 May 2025
The 400-acre amusement park that straddles the border of North and South Carolina in Charlotte and Fort Mill, S.C., also has two additions opening in the children’s area of the park.
—Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for straddle
Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2025
Brian Calder’s life and family have always straddled the 49th Parallel — the line on the map that divides much of the United States from Canada.
—Omar Jimenez, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
In March, new border-security rules altered Canadians’ longstanding access to a library straddling the Vermont-Quebec border.
—Riley Robinson, Christian Science Monitor, 6 May 2025
The 400-acre amusement park that straddles the border of North and South Carolina in Charlotte and Fort Mill, S.C., also has two additions opening in the children’s area of the park.
—Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for straddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddle
Verb
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Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough can usually be seen perched atop the Senate dais, helping to make sure the Senate floor runs according to the rules.—
Allison Pecorin,
ABC News,
3 June 2025
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Hikers will also have the chance to lounge and swim from two beaches, Mosquito Beach, which is flanked by sandstone cliffs, and Chapel Beach, which sits at the mouth of Chapel River with a view of Chapel Rock, a sandstone arch with a solitary pine tree perched on its expanse.—
Graham Averill,
Outside Online,
30 May 2025
Verb
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The quiet yet luxurious hue spans room sizes and design styles, yet is subtle enough to serve as a neutral while adding a hint of color.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2025
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The facility spans nearly 500 acres and supports around 4,000 personnel — a mix of U.S. and allied military and civilian staff.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
7 June 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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Once owned by Mickey Drexler, the 26-acre horse farm sits on a sandy road a stone’s throw from Peter Beard’s house and the Roosevelt estate.—
Alessandra Schade,
Vogue,
7 June 2025
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Susana Rosario, 61, sits on a bench there every day.—
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán,
NPR,
7 June 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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People reported running, ducking for cover and scrambling to their cars for safety.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 June 2025
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Questions and Answers Is goose or duck down better for a comforter?—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
30 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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In the tracking week ending May 22, From Zero earned 14,000 equivalent album units (up 173%), with traditional album sales comprising 7,500 of that sum (up 531%).—
Keith Caulfield,
Billboard,
29 May 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Straddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddle. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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