How to Use stray in a Sentence

stray

1 of 3 noun
  • Both of her cats were strays that she found wandering in the neighborhood.
  • Also in need of a new home is Breeze, a 1-year-old, white and brown guinea pig that was a stray.
    — Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 30 Dec. 2022
  • His in-laws are constantly on the lookout for a stray can.
    — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 12 May 2022
  • As the scared dogs were shepherded one by one into the van, there was one stray among the strays.
    — Washington Post, 25 June 2021
  • Golloway soon found out that Butter wasn't a stray at all.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 3 Dec. 2021
  • Lucky was a stray and had been taken in by neighbors of ours in Conroe.
    — Annette McGivney, Outside Online, 4 Apr. 2022
  • Nearby, half a dozen stray dogs lie in the shade of a tree, sniffing at rotting apples on the ground.
    — Ian Lovett, WSJ, 16 Aug. 2022
  • The report did not mention whether any arrests had been made, nor whether the cats were strays or pets.
    — Chris Lau, CNN, 24 Oct. 2023
  • The story of the stalwart stray went viral, covered by news outlets around the world.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024
  • Our little rescue doodle had been a stray on the streets; no one knew for how long.
    — Johnny Runnette, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2022
  • Authorities said the dog was not a stray, and its owner is aware that it was killed.
    — Dallas News, 27 Feb. 2023
  • Whenever a customer entered, the stray would dart into the store and head straight to the toy section.
    — James Lileks, Star Tribune, 30 Apr. 2021
  • He was found as a stray and is now looking for his forever home.
    — The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 9 Dec. 2022
  • The cat was a stray that attacked the owner’s dog and the individual was exposed at the time.
    — Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, 17 Aug. 2023
  • First, the shelter often uses certain themes to name strays that come in.
    — Sydney Page, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2023
  • Dana arrived at the shelter in November 2020 when she was picked up as a stray.
    — Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Nov. 2022
  • At one point, the ragtag pack of four homeless strays spies a U.S. Postal Service billboard.
    — Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2023
  • The boy, who has not been publicly identified, is dragged by the pack for several feet, writhing in pain as the strays pounce.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN, 1 Apr. 2023
  • Then there’s Hawkeye, the 3-year-old pit bull who entered as a stray with an arrow shot through his left front paw.
    — Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 11 Feb. 2024
  • The floral blend strays away from softness and leans all the dark and warm, courtesy of bergamot, incense, vanilla and more.
    — ELLE, 1 Aug. 2023
  • Socks, a black-and-white adopted stray, had the run of the White House during the Clinton administration.
    — Washington Post, 1 May 2021
  • Natalia Zhdanova, 40, found Fedya as a weak and sickly stray in her backyard when the cat was just a few days old.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE.com, 28 Sep. 2021
  • Lots of cats: seven strays who had somehow adopted her (and vice versa).
    — Lisa Sanders, M.d., New York Times, 8 Sep. 2023
  • This 1-year-old mama cat came to Sun Cities 4 Paws Rescue, having been found with her two babies as a stray.
    — The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 21 Jan. 2023
  • If these aren't available, poke a hole through the top of a disposable plastic cup and have children hold the end of the sparkler inside the cup to protect their hands from stray sparks.
    — Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 June 2021
  • In Armenia, strays are often tagged, a sign they have been neutered and released.
    — Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
  • This sweet gray boy came to us as a stray.
    — Arkansas Online, 25 Jan. 2026
  • Take a few minutes to go through high-traffic areas like the living room, entryway, and kitchen and re-home stray items that have piled up throughout the day.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Skeet said that his sales of strays had the blessing of the sheriff, and that the proceeds were given to charity.
    — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
  • As the trooper approached the dog, which police say appeared to be a stray, the dog bit him on the hand, causing one of his fingers to bleed.
    — Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026

stray

2 of 3 verb
  • The airplane strayed off course.
  • With this one, the reasons kind of strayed from my gut.
    — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 8 Apr. 2023
  • The record doesn’t stray far from his trusty blueprints.
    — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 6 Oct. 2023
  • Hann, by contrast, had strayed far from the main green, long a site for protests.
    — TIME, 19 Dec. 2023
  • Oregon isn’t going to stray from the style Graves’ teams have played over the years.
    — oregonlive, 25 Oct. 2022
  • Yet the pastas include reasons to stray from the starters.
    — Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
  • Some of the officers’ stray rounds hit a nearby garage, a truck and a fence.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2023
  • Cyan hasn’t strayed far from this formula with the P1800 GT.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2024
  • The action on the House floor this week captured just how far afield the debate has strayed.
    — Jeff Stein, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023
  • Overnight, skies may cloud up a bit as a slight chance of a brief, stray shower rolls through the region.
    — A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 30 Dec. 2023
  • These days, the best peacoats don’t stray too far from the original.
    — Isaiah Freeman-Schub, Robb Report, 16 Nov. 2023
  • Hudson felt the new line strayed a bit away from what he’s largely known for.
    — Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 11 Sep. 2023
  • His fingers stray to the collar of his T-shirt, giving it a tug.
    — Sarah L. Kaufman, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2022
  • These vagabond spikes of the Padres, longing to stray, are Los Angeles bound.
    — San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Oct. 2022
  • At night, my eyes look up to the stars and then stray along the mountain peaks, which are capped by snow and which the morning sun roasts at 6:30.
    — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2022
  • There are, of course, always a handful of celebs that stray from the theme, but some really do hit the nail on the head.
    — Brittany Natale, Redbook, 3 May 2023
  • If anything, it’s strayed even further away from that goal.
    — Matt Ford, The New Republic, 15 Oct. 2023
  • On closer inspection, the comma turns out to be some schmutz or stray ink.
    — Han Ong, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
  • For skiers looking to stray away from the standard straight-leg ski pant, the Roxy Rising High Pants are your best option.
    — Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 2 Feb. 2023
  • Here’s a guide of what to do, where to stay, and how to stray—in five-star style, of course—during the grandest open Down Under running Jan 14 through 28.
    — Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 9 Jan. 2024
  • But the Keys never stray far from the unvarnished blues-rock that’s always been their calling card.
    — Dallas News, 13 Oct. 2022
  • Rain chances hold off until midday, when a light, stray shower could pop.
    — A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 25 Nov. 2023
  • Typically, orcas don’t stray from the pods they’re born in, according to the park.
    — Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024
  • The Neeson boys haven’t strayed far from their parents’ careers either.
    — Emily Krauser, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2024
  • And no more excuses for the other players, who have strayed from the principles that made the franchise great for two decades.
    — Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2023
  • That said, trends didn’t stray too far from yesteryear either.
    — Joyce Onuorah, Essence, 22 Dec. 2023
  • The windy, drier air continues to move in with the chance of a rogue, stray shower quickly ending by sunset.
    — A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2023
  • On the other hand, you can still be tempted to stray from a task at hand and risk wandering into conflict.
    — Chicago Tribune, 17 Nov. 2022
  • And come this weekend, there will be at least one more player who opted to stray from the script.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Beshear doesn’t shy from his Democratic pedigree, or stray from much of the party’s orthodoxy.
    — Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026

stray

3 of 3 adjective
  • For one, the flat edges of facets become sources of stray light.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 21 May 2023
  • Maybe a Granny Smith apple slice or a stray grape found in the back of the fridge.
    — Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 30 Aug. 2023
  • The thickness and the loose accordion pleats give the broth and the stray bits of pork something to cling to.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2023
  • At age 10, he was struck in the back of the head with a stray bullet that shattered his skull.
    — Liz Szabo, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2023
  • Over eight years ago, Knox was struck in the back of the head by a stray bullet at a party.
    — Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 28 Dec. 2022
  • The study showed that owners were found for 63.5% of stray cats with microchips.
    — Jennifer Rodriguez The Charlotte Observer (tns), al, 25 Aug. 2023
  • Names and scenarios have been changed, and stray plots dropped.
    — Missy Frederick, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024
  • Darvin Ham survived the streets, a stray bullet and intense grief to coach the Lakers.
    — Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2022
  • Long story short: A stray dog followed us for a full day.
    — Juliet Pennington, BostonGlobe.com, 25 May 2023
  • Jasper Wu, 23 months, was riding in his car seat when he was struck in the head by a stray bullet.
    — Noah Goldbergstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2022
  • The stray bullet came from a shooting just west of the park, police said on Facebook.
    — Sarah Bahari, Dallas News, 1 May 2023
  • During the proceedings, a stray bee lands on Zoya's lapel and the Squaller promptly swats it away.
    — Nick Romano, EW.com, 16 Mar. 2023
  • Some cooks do this over a bowl of water, in which case the seeds fall to the bottom, and any stray bits of flesh float to the top and can be skimmed off.
    — Karoline Boehm Goodnick, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Jan. 2023
  • There’s a 40% chance of a stray shower or thunderstorm.
    — Kxas-Tv (nbc5), Dallas News, 11 Sep. 2023
  • But right now, in the calm of the still-early hour, Ms. Mason bends to pluck a stray weed or examine a new bud.
    — Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Jan. 2024
  • When the entire pattern is filled in, and all stray pieces of yarn have been tied and trimmed, remove the carpet pad and cloth from the frame.
    — Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Jan. 2023
  • Washington was hit in the side by stray bullets, around an inch from his colon, the lawsuit claims.
    — Eli Masket, CNN, 18 Aug. 2023
  • Sure, there were the local drunks, the teenage hooligans who tortured stray cats, but even these wayward bees had a place in the hive.
    — Alexander Nazaryan, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024
  • Clouds may bubble up during the midday, with a stray shower not out of the question.
    — A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 21 Apr. 2023
  • On the third day of fighting, a stray shell punched through Ms. Abdelgadir’s home, sending it up in flames.
    — Declan Walsh, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2023
  • Lows fall back to the upper 30s and low 40s with partly to mostly cloudy skies and perhaps a stray shower.
    — Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 4 Jan. 2023
  • Earlier in the day, the elk had attacked two stray dogs that had threatened her newborn, @natureismetal wrote.
    — Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 23 Nov. 2023
  • Gillian Segal kept it simple with a neutral palette and a stray twig.
    — Anna Fixsen, ELLE Decor, 11 Aug. 2023
  • Still, there’s always a glimmer of something worth noticing in a new trend, a stray statistic, a shift in thought.
    — Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 1 Jan. 2023
  • There’s a very low chance for a stray shower hanging on early this morning.
    — Kxas-Tv (nbc5), Dallas News, 21 Apr. 2023
  • Police said a man was found at a mobile home with a gunshot wound on one of his legs and may have been struck by a stray bullet.
    — CBS News, 12 Jan. 2023
  • Use a vacuum nozzle to pick up stray lint inside the agitator cavity and wipe it down with a damp cloth.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Music that’s composed of a thousand stray fragments, while still having a beating heart.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Her mom pushed back a stray hair and straightened the small chain with a crucifix around the girl’s neck.
    — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Bonus points for setting the sideways grater on a baking sheet, so that stray pieces don't scatter all over the counter.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 27 Jan. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stray.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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