1
as in perches
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 spans
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 shakes
to agree with or seem to agree with two opposite sides of (something)
The politician straddled the issue for weeks.
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Recent Examples of straddles
Jane Wickline also debuts a new song, which straddles a defense of being chronically late and an outright defiance of the idea of being on time.
—
Rima Parikh, Vulture, 10 May 2026
The land, annexed in January, straddles Meadow Road, and officials said at the time that annexing the land would allow for development that would bring jobs and other benefits to the city.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2026
Mount Everest, which straddles along the Nepal-China border, can be climbed from both sides.
—Binaj Gurubacharya, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the state line between North Carolina and Tennessee and the Foothills Parkway is on the Tennessee side of the 522,427-acre park.
—Mark Price
may 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
The child who makes believe straddles the threshold of a secret door, with one foot in reality and one foot in fiction.
—Mac Barnett, Longreads, 5 May 2026
Star, which straddles Ada and Canyon counties in the northern stretches of the Treasure Valley, has stood out in recent years for its explosive growth.
—Rose Evans
may 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 May 2026
Portland, Oregon, which straddles the Willamette River with snowcapped Mount Hood standing guard, is one of the country's prettiest cities.
—Hannah Wallace, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
In January of that year, Mexican biologists tracked a collared wolf that had passed by the city of Juárez on its way to Mount Cristo Rey, which straddles the border between New Mexico and Mexico and overlooks El Paso, Texas.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 30 Apr. 2026
Rima Parikh, Vulture, 10 May 2026
The land, annexed in January, straddles Meadow Road, and officials said at the time that annexing the land would allow for development that would bring jobs and other benefits to the city.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2026
Mount Everest, which straddles along the Nepal-China border, can be climbed from both sides.
—Binaj Gurubacharya, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the state line between North Carolina and Tennessee and the Foothills Parkway is on the Tennessee side of the 522,427-acre park.
—Mark Price
may 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
The child who makes believe straddles the threshold of a secret door, with one foot in reality and one foot in fiction.
—Mac Barnett, Longreads, 5 May 2026
Star, which straddles Ada and Canyon counties in the northern stretches of the Treasure Valley, has stood out in recent years for its explosive growth.
—Rose Evans
may 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 May 2026
Portland, Oregon, which straddles the Willamette River with snowcapped Mount Hood standing guard, is one of the country's prettiest cities.
—Hannah Wallace, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
In January of that year, Mexican biologists tracked a collared wolf that had passed by the city of Juárez on its way to Mount Cristo Rey, which straddles the border between New Mexico and Mexico and overlooks El Paso, Texas.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddles
Verb
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Live streams from entertainment events like the Grammys or Golden Globes aren’t typically perches for controversy, but, says Anthony McCartney, AP’s entertainment and lifestyles editor, celebrities will sometimes be asked to weigh in on recent headlines.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
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Even the squirrels in the backyard and the bird that perches on the deck are put on notice.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Behind a red brick facade complemented by dark green shutters and a matching front door, the home spans about 5,200 square feet across three stories.—
Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
19 May 2026
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Designed with 59 rooms and suites, the property spans over one hectare of private parkland, surrounded by pine trees with views of the Apuan Alps.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Her daytime meals are pretty consistent and include yogurts, protein bars, protein shakes and protein pasta.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) shakes hands with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, China, May 6, 2026.—
May 6,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Verb
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On the reverse side were the locations of the seventy-two teams that make up the first three divisions of the National League System, which sits below the English Football League.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
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In the spring of 2015, Syrian military forces bore down on Jisr al-Shughur, which sits at a strategic juncture along a majorhighway.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The issue increasingly intersects with larger conversations around burnout, longevity, work-life balance, and quality of life.—
Meggen Harris,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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The four stops deemed eligible for SB 79 are the two on Park Boulevard and two transit plazas, one where Interstate 15 intersects with El Cajon Boulevard and another where I-15 intersects with University Avenue.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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In the video, the subject ducks his head in the opposite direction of the doorbell camera.—
Michael Ruiz , Adam Sabes , Christina Dugan Ramirez , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Julia Bonavita , Peter D'Abrosca , Alexandra Koch , Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
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The sun ducks down and sets Conejo Mountain against warm pinks and purples, transforming the ridgeline into an epic silhouette.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Taking up half of the Belfiore’s top two floors, the brand-new unit sprawls across almost 9,000 square feet.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
18 May 2026
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The restaurant, which seats 75 guests, sprawls across 11,500 square feet.—
Connie Ogle
May 15,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
Verb
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At one point, Griffin appears to lunge at Manetta, who evades him by ducking behind a column on the platform.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
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Mr Cobra evades most classification from there, blending free jazz, musique concrète, ’00s pop, house, industrial techno, and air horns, interlaced with dialogue snipped from Korean folk operas and experimental films.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straddles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddles. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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