STRADDLES Synonyms: 110 Similar and Opposite Words

straddles

verb

present tense third-person singular of straddle

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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

as in spans

to be on both sides of (something) The town straddles the river. The movie straddles the line between comedy and drama.

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

as in shakes

to agree with or seem to agree with two opposite sides of (something) The politician straddled the issue for weeks.

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of straddles The Schoonmaker Retreat is in Ulster County, which straddles the towns of Rosendale and Marbletown. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2026 But in the interest of affordability and customer choice, RTX Spark systems are also offered with smaller memory options, meaning that the model line straddles the line between Class 2 and 3. — Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026 Their homeland straddles the border, and thousands of tribal members live in Mexico. — Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2026 Covering Climate Now's project straddles a tightrope between advocacy and journalism, which experts say has pros and cons. — ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026 Fraying friendship Thanks to a geographic quirk, Louis Patenaude’s freight business straddles the border between the US and Canada. — Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026 Her social-media career straddles her professional and personal lives. — Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 When Fyodor drags himself on the floor, begging for forgiveness or a bit more money to play roulette, the gesture straddles the line between humor and intense discomfort — veering into cringe comedy. — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 The martini, like no other cocktail, straddles the line between timelessness and trendiness. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddles

Verb

At the top of the hill, in a completely different style, perches the Neoclassical royal palace.

— Benjamin Moser, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of perches

Verb

The categories catching on right now The trend spans clothing, toys, photography and physical music formats.

— Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
The space, which spans more than 5,000 square feet, showcases the seasonal collections including eveningwear, bags, fine jewelry and footwear.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of spans

Verb

When isolated issues in other states occur, even if proved untrue, the intense and repeated national media attention on them shakes voter confidence here at home.

— Heather LaMarre, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
Near the corner of Broad Street and Snyder Avenue in South Philadelphia, Shania Bennett shakes hands with a daycare owner.

— Dan Snyder, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of shakes

Verb

The stock is about 3% above it, and the bottom of the Muse gap at $625 sits right underneath.

— Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
The Israeli settlement of Neve Daniel sits south of Jerusalem, atop one of the highest ridges in the West Bank, nearly 1,000 meters above sea level.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of sits

Verb

Years later, in 2030, his story intersects with that of his daughter, who makes her own pilgrimage to the Arctic Circle amidst political and environmental upheaval.

— Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2026
New satellite imagery shows a growing complex near Lop Nur, where China’s nuclear testing history now intersects with its push for next-generation airpower.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of intersects

Verb

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
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

Definition of ducks

Verb

The library, lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, sprawls out upstairs, doubling as the perfect home office or den.

— Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2026
Located on on Banderas Bay in Puerto Vallarta, this outpost of Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa sprawls across 85 acres of jungle and beach.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of sprawls

Verb

Neither of those interpretations would be entirely invalid, exactly, and yet The Basics of Philosophy — ironically enough, given its title — mostly evades any such moral didacticism.

— Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
Journalists and negotiators follow up when someone evades the point.

— Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 2 Sep. 2026