astride

[ uh-strahyd ]

preposition

1. with a leg on each side of; straddling:

   She sat astride the horse.

2. on both sides of:

   Budapest lies astride the river.

3. in a dominant position within:

   Napoleon stands astride the early 19th century like a giant.

adverb

1. in a posture of striding or straddling; with legs apart or on either side of something.

astride

/ əˈstraɪd /

adjective

1. with a leg on either side
2. with the legs far apart

preposition

1. with a leg on either side of
2. with a part on both sides of

Word History and Origins

Origin of astride¹

First recorded in 1655–65; a- ¹ + stride

Example Sentences

Sitting tall astride Nelson, his favorite chestnut horse, General George Washington had watched thousands of dejected British soldiers slowly trudge by.

From Literature

Gary sits in the country’s third-largest metropolitan area, astride major railroad crossings and next to a shipping port.

From New York Times

This is a movie about a celebration astride the abyss, and, as it continues, it takes on the eerie power of a séance.

From Los Angeles Times

Glenn Kumro was sitting astride his bike on the Strand in Hermosa Beach after stopping to talk to some friends when something slammed into him from behind.

From Los Angeles Times

It would elevate the execrable ex-president, for all his myriad and many misdeeds, to stand astride the political and moral high ground.

From Los Angeles Times