straddle

UK: /ˈstræd^əl/ US: /ˈstrædəl/ ,(strad′l)

Inflections of 'straddle' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

straddles

v 3rd person singular

straddling

v pres p

straddled

v past

straddled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

strad•dle /ˈstrædəl/   v. [~ + object] , -dled, -dling. 

1. to stand or sit on (something) with the legs on either side of:
   to straddle a horse.
2. to favor or appear to favor both sides of:
   The politician is trying to straddle the issue.

strad•dler, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

strad•dle  (strad′l), v., -dled, -dling, n. 
v.i. 

1. to walk, stand, or sit with the legs wide apart;
   stand or sit astride.
2. to stand wide apart, as the legs.
3. to favor or appear to favor both sides of an issue, political division, or the like, at once;
   maintain an equivocal position.

v.t. 

4. to walk, stand, or sit with one leg on each side of;
   stand or sit astride of:
   to straddle a horse.
5. to spread (the legs) wide apart.
6. to favor or appear to favor both sides of (an issue, political division, etc.).

n. 

7. an act or instance of straddling.
8. the distance straddled over.
9. the taking of a noncommittal position.
10. British Terms, Business [Finance.]
    • an option consisting of a put and a call combined, both at the same current market price and for the same specified period.
    • a similar transaction in securities or futures in which options to buy and sell the same security or commodity are purchased simultaneously in order to hedge one's risk.

• apparently frequentative (with -le) of variant stem of stride 1555–65

strad′dler, n. 
strad′dling•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

straddle / ˈstræd^əl/ verb

1. (transitive) to have one leg, part, or support on each side of
2. (transitive) to be in favour of both sides of (something)
3. (intransitive) to stand, walk, or sit with the legs apart
4. (transitive) to spread (the legs) apart
5. to fire a number of shots slightly beyond and slightly short of (a target) to determine the correct range
6. (intransitive) (in poker, of the second player after the dealer) to double the ante before looking at one's cards

noun

1. the act or position of straddling
2. a noncommittal attitude or stand
3. a contract or option permitting its purchaser to either sell or buy securities or commodities within a specified period of time at specified prices. It is a combination of a put and a call option
   Compare spread24c
4. a high-jumping technique in which the body is parallel with the bar and the legs straddle it at the highest point of the jump
5. (in poker) the stake put up after the ante in poker by the second player after the dealer

Etymology: 16th Century: frequentative formed from obsolete strad- (Old English strode), past stem of stride

ˈstraddler noun