as in fence-sitting
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1
as in perching
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 spanning
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 shaking
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 straddling
Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
At the moment his career is straddling middle ground.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026
Sensationally straddling the unspoiled valleys of the Indian Himalayan foothills, Prana also works as a stand-alone or unique private rental for small groups.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
There are several factors driving the staggering heat, including a unyielding ridge of high pressure straddling Southern California and weaker-than-normal coastal winds, which typically drive upwelling along the coast.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Bryan straddling the political center reflects the disjointed desires of a nation that polls consistently inconsistent on issues, one that in 2024 yearned for both universal health care and the removal of hardworking longtime residents.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Such is the fine line Erik Spoelstra’s team is straddling between playoffs and lottery.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Van Rijn, Brand later discovered, was straddling two sides.
—Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 21 Mar. 2026
Goodland, is south of Mansfield, straddling Johnson and Ellis counties.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
The gubernatorial candidates are straddling Trump in some kind of uneasy peace.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
At the moment his career is straddling middle ground.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026
Sensationally straddling the unspoiled valleys of the Indian Himalayan foothills, Prana also works as a stand-alone or unique private rental for small groups.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
There are several factors driving the staggering heat, including a unyielding ridge of high pressure straddling Southern California and weaker-than-normal coastal winds, which typically drive upwelling along the coast.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Bryan straddling the political center reflects the disjointed desires of a nation that polls consistently inconsistent on issues, one that in 2024 yearned for both universal health care and the removal of hardworking longtime residents.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Such is the fine line Erik Spoelstra’s team is straddling between playoffs and lottery.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Van Rijn, Brand later discovered, was straddling two sides.
—Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 21 Mar. 2026
Goodland, is south of Mansfield, straddling Johnson and Ellis counties.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddling
Noun
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Lower mortgage rates will spur some fence-sitting buyers into action and increase sales volumes over last year.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Mar. 2026
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There’s merit in seeing both sides of an argument, but there’s no honor in fence-sitting forever, which is Alex’s fatal flaw.—
Anusha Praturu,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Another member of pop’s new generation, Addison Rae, was on hand to hype up the crowd while perching on the edge of the DJ booth.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
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Photos and videos of Chonkers hopping onto docks and perching among his smaller California sea lion friends have garnered thousands of views on social media.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Imanaga hadn’t issued two walks in an inning in more than a year, spanning 154 innings to April 15, 2025, against the Padres.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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Family photos spanning several generations, old pharmaceutical equipment, advertisements and promotional materials from years of business, and a framed Martha Stewart magazine feature are some of the items in the Woodsboro office that indicate the long legacy and evolution of the company.—
Gabriella Fine,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Thursday night, after shaking off a deal that was short-circuited by another team, the Ravens would make a pick (Penn State guard Vega Ioane) that symbolically spoke to the franchise’s core values.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Backstage, everyone was crying and shaking, Pearlman says.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Mayor Karen Bass said the city is taking a zero-tolerance approach.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Starting low and building up gives your skin time to develop tolerance without the irritation, peeling or redness that can come from using retinoids too aggressively.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Harbaugh seemed tense during his Friday press conference sitting next to GM Joe Schoen as the second round of the draft rolled on compared to a much more positive Thursday interview after the first round.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Overall the Red Sox have scored two or fewer in 12 of their first 25 games this season, and with a 9-16 record the club is tied for the second-fewest wins in MLB while sitting seven games back of the Yankees in the AL East standings.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And online, orange lights are intersecting with the trend to paper lanterns.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
28 Apr. 2026
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That makes sense, especially intersecting with Homelander’s own quasi-religious journey taking shape this season.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Seattle takes coffee seriously, so ducking into Café Vita, one of the city’s indie coffee shops, is practically required.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
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But a recent global survey conducted by SAP subsidiary WalkMe found that workers are quietly ducking AI use.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddling. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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