STRAYS Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words

strays

verb

present tense third-person singular of stray

as in wanders

to commit an offense our straying son swears he's returned to the straight and narrow

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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 strays Great Television rarely strays too far from these principles. — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2026 Advertisement Kelly Macdonald in Lanterns John Johnson—HBO Max Lanterns strays pretty far from its setup, as Lindelof shows tend to do. — Judy Berman, Time, 14 Aug. 2026 Supermassive black holes are best known for their immense gravity, pulling in everything that strays too close, even light. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026 When the novel begins, Jeon-Gi is already middle-aged—his own children having recently left home—though his narration rarely strays from that delicate year leading up to his 11th birthday. — Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026 But for the most part, the further the narrative strays from the search at its center, the clunkier its reliance on synecdoche becomes. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026 Princess Anne’s red lips The princess rarely strays from her beauty comfort zone. — Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 20 June 2026 Like Manuel, the low-key manager rarely strays from the norm during his press briefings, stating the obvious and avoiding controversy. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026 The album never strays from its examination of this couple. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 12 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strays

Verb

In one extended sequence, Delaney just wanders his lonely apartment, the ghost of his wife already haunting the place.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026
Kennedy wanders across the country, picking up a recipe for pozolé de camarón in Jalisco, chuletas de puerco en agridulce (sweet-and-sour pork chops) in Morelia, and chilaquiles en salsa verde from her longtime home state of Michoacán.

— Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of wanders

Verb

When Cantu reaches towards Lopez and screams his wife’s name, a shot rings out and Lopez falls slightly off camera.

— Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
Rather than extra long hair, think of a cut that falls somewhere below the collarbone, with enough layering or movement to keep it from feeling heavy.

— Laura Solla, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of falls

Verb

John DeWitt, the four-star general who oversaw the internment program, in particular, seems to be a forerunner to some of America's worst errors, paranoia, sins.

— Philip Elliott, Time, 1 Dec. 2025
God’s likeness, which is our true, spiritual identity, never sins and is never punished.

— Tony Lobl, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Feb. 2025