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straddle

verb · noun · adverb

Simple meaning

To sit or stand with a leg on each side of something.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

straduhl

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US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈstɹædəl

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

verb

  1. transitive

    To sit or stand with a leg on each side of something; to sit astride.

  2. transitive

    To be on both sides of something; to have parts that are in different places, regions, etc.

  3. transitive

    To consider or favor two apparently opposite sides; to be noncommittal.

  4. transitive

    To form a disorderly sprawl; to spread out irregularly.

  5. intransitive

    To stand with the ends staggered; said of the spokes of a wagon wheel where they join the hub.

noun

  1. A part of a harness placed on the back of a beast of burden (such as a horse or donkey) to carry the weight of a load.

  2. A posture in which one straddles something.

adverb

  1. Astride.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
C2 · Proficient
Frequency
Rare
Typical Use
Primarily written

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: To sit or stand with a leg on each side of something; to sit astride.

Used this way, straddle is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
No strong connotation
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use straddle

  • “The plants straddle the entire state.”verb

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Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

Harness

straddle carrier

Investment

straddle position

Other combinations

straddle twostraddle injurytax straddle

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.