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.
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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.
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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.
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of straddle
The race in House District 19, which straddles Boulder and Weld counties’ border, also settled in recount territory in Thursday night’s results, with former Republican Rep. Dan Woog leading Democrat Jillaire McMillan by 123 votes.
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Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
Buckskin Gulch Buckskin Gulch lies within the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area, which straddles the Utah-Arizona state line.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 9 Nov. 2024
In a snap shared to Kourtney's Instagram, two inflatable skeletons were pictured straddling one another on a lawn.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
This 150-room hotel straddles two private beaches and preciously guards its boutique feel, maintaining a historic charm that feels unique among island accommodations.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 1 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for straddle 
Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
Buckskin Gulch Buckskin Gulch lies within the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area, which straddles the Utah-Arizona state line.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 9 Nov. 2024
In a snap shared to Kourtney's Instagram, two inflatable skeletons were pictured straddling one another on a lawn.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
This 150-room hotel straddles two private beaches and preciously guards its boutique feel, maintaining a historic charm that feels unique among island accommodations.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 1 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for straddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddle
Verb
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As a friend of the house she was tasked with the honor of lighting up a massive Bird on the Rock creation perched high atop The Landmark, Tiffany’s legendary Fifth Avenue boutique at 57th Street.Hannah Malach, WWD, 8 Dec. 2024
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More than fifteen million people—sixty-five per cent of the French viewing public—watched as Macron appeared onscreen, perched on a balcony with the plane trees of the palace gardens behind him, filtering the day’s last light.Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Marking the third zodiac sign in the wheel, Gemini season spans from May 20 to June 20 in 2025.Skyler Caruso, People.com, 14 Dec. 2024
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Families span continents, careers pivot across countries, and even currencies like Bitcoin redefine value.Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.D., Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot delves into a crime that shook the town of Channelview, Texas, in 1991.Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
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Add chicken pieces to bag, a few at a time, shaking to coat.Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Thornton was sitting at his desk in his small study, surrounded by bookshelves, with a book open before him.Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
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That was particularly true for wrongdoing involving lawmakers because a majority vote from an eight-member panel of four Democrats and four Republicans — almost exclusively sitting legislators — was required before reports could be released, a system virtually designed to deadlock.Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 15 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Ted soon finds his loyalties tested when his capable team's personal lives threaten to intersect with their professional ones.Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 8 Dec. 2024
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The struggle for river crossings in the Russia-Ukraine War highlights the challenges of modern conflict, where traditional tactics intersect with advanced technologies.Vikram Mittal, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The 20th species was the wild turkey, which ducked under vehicle barriers 28 of the 32 times it was observed there, but went 0-for-46 at the small openings cut into border wall segments and rarely even approached the wall segments with 4-inch slots between posts.Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 27 Nov. 2024
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The staffer can be seen ducking inside a back room, then reappearing and shaking hands with someone, presumably Payne, inside the elevator.Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 14 Nov. 2024
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Meanwhile, people aged 65 and older now comprise nearly 30 percent of the population.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
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Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 17 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Straddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddle. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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