stride

1 of 2

verb

ˈstrīd 

strode ˈstrōd  ; stridden ˈstri-dᵊn  ; striding ˈstrī-diŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to stand astride

2

: to move with or as if with long steps

strode across the room

3

: to take a very long step

transitive verb

1

: bestride, straddle

2

: to step over

3

: to move over or along with or as if with long measured steps

striding the boardwalk

strider

ˈstrī-dər 

noun

stride

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a cycle of locomotor movements (as of a horse) completed when the feet regain the initial relative positions

also : the distance traversed in a stride

b

: the most effective natural pace : maximum competence or capability

—often used in the phrase hit one's stride

2

: a long step

3

: an act of striding

4

: a stage of progress : advance

made great strides toward their goal

5

: a manner of striding

6

: stride piano

Phrases

in stride

1

: without interference with regular activities

2

: without emotional reaction

took the news in stride

Synonyms

Verb

• file
• march
• pace
• parade

Examples of stride in a Sentence

Verb

She strode across the room towards me.

a gang of armed men strode into the bank and approached the teller

Noun

She crossed the room in only a few strides.

He was standing only a few strides away from me.

He has a distinctive bouncy stride.

She entered the room with a confident stride.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

New York City was under a heat advisory on Saturday, but that didn’t stop attendees from striding down Surf Avenue in their finest aquatic outfits. —Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2024

Supporting the tracks’ contemporaneity, the researchers enlisted volunteers to stride across similar muddy dune sand and found that steps vanished unless buried within hours or days. —Bridget Alex, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2024

Noun

Yet throughout his career, Fauci seems to have taken public criticism in stride and used it, even, to build something better. —Andrea Kane, CNN, 18 June 2024

Witt raced from his shortstop position and made an over-the-shoulder basket catch in stride. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 15 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English strīdan; akin to Middle Low German striden to straddle, Old High German strītan to quarrel

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing stride

• break (one's) stride
• get into one's stride
• hit one's stride
• in stride
• put (someone) off his/her stride
• stride for stride
• stride piano
• take (something) in one's stride
• take (something) in stride
• throw/knock (someone) off (his/her) stride

Kids Definition

stride

1 of 2 verb

ˈstrīd 

strode ˈstrōd  ; stridden ˈstrid-ᵊn  ; striding ˈstrīd-iŋ 

1

: to move with or as if with long even steps

strode across the room

2

: to take a very long step

strider

ˈstrīd-ər 

noun

stride

2 of 2 noun

1

: a step or the distance covered by a step

2

: a way of striding

3

: the most effective natural pace

—often used in the phrase hit one's stride

4

: a step forward : advance

made great strides toward their goal