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.

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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.

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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.

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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 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 The body of water, which straddles the US-Canada border, gave its name to the Canadian province rather than the other way around. — ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026 This will be good for no one, especially the auto industry that straddles both countries. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026 Parton played herself in the 2005 follow-up to 2000’s Miss Congeniality, which featured a scene where Bullock’s character, FBI agent Gracie Hart, tackles and straddles the country music legend—mistaking her for a Vegas impersonator. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Aug. 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

In total, the home spans five bedrooms and nine bathrooms, including a powder room swathed in a punchy wallcovering decorated with pink pineapples.

— Tori Latham, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026
The bloom spans about 6,560 square miles and includes more than 200 plant species, some sprouting from seeds and bulbs dormant for decades.

— Nayara Batschke, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of spans

Verb

The farm has also increased the parking and extended the season to 30 weeks in hopes of giving fans a longer period to enjoy not only the cinnamon rolls but also shakes, jellies and baked goods.

— Connie Ogle October 1, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter shakes hands with Purdue Northwest students after swearing them in as interns with the High Tech Crime Unit on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

— Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of shakes

Verb

The deeply pretty Georgian manor house, all honeyed Bath stone, sits at the end of an avenue of sky-high beech and lime trees, surrounded by exquisite gardens like a Jane Austen film set.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
The proposal now sits with Congress, where lawmakers will have to decide whether to take it up.

— Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of sits

Verb

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
The string will now form a straight line that intersects the y-axis at 12—giving the answer of 3 × 4 = 12.

— Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 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

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
The eight episodes dropping on Prime Video October 7 comprise an unwieldy story that sprawls widely around Carrie but also seems afraid of her — and not in the way King’s novel intended.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 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