strand

1 of 5

noun (1)

: the land bordering a body of water : shore, beach

strand

2 of 5

verb (1)

stranded; stranding; strands

transitive verb

1
: to run, drive, or cause to drift onto a strand : run aground
2
: to leave in a strange or an unfavorable place especially without funds or means to depart
3
: to leave (a base runner) on base at the end of an inning in baseball

strand

3 of 5

noun (2)

1
Scotland and dialects of England : stream
2
Scotland and dialects of England : sea

strand

4 of 5

noun (3)

1
a
: fibers or filaments twisted, plaited, or laid parallel to form a unit for further twisting or plaiting into yarn, thread, rope, or cordage
b
: one of the wires twisted together or laid parallel to form a wire rope or cable
c
: something (such as a molecular chain) resembling a strand
a strand of DNA
2
a
: an element (such as a yarn or thread) of a woven or plaited material
b
: a threadlike piece of natural or synthetic material
a strand of hair
3
: an elongated or twisted and plaited body resembling a rope
a strand of pearls
4
: one of the elements interwoven in a complex whole
one strand of the novel's plot

strand

5 of 5

verb (2)

stranded; stranding; strands

transitive verb

1
: to break a strand of (a rope) accidentally
2
a
: to form (something, such as a rope) from strands
b
: to play out, twist, or arrange in a strand

Examples of strand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Instead of covering up one’s entire head with a rug, barbers now aim to meld a hairpiece with the strands that remain, providing a more natural and seamless appearance. John Ortved, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2024 This year, European strands stole the thunder from the usual Caribbean idylls with Praia da Falésia in Portugal’s Algarve nabbing the top spot, thanks to reviews extolling its soft sand, strikingly scarlet cliffs and lapping waves. Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 These strands are giving us major intergalactic vibes. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2024 That said, if your goal is to enrich your silvery strands, L’Oréal Paris is one of the few brands that creates color-amplifying treatments catered to grays—and at less than $20 to boot. Mary Honkus, Glamour, 7 Mar. 2024 Incorporating gentle, hydrating products into your hair care routine can also help strengthen your strands and improve texture. Krissy Brady, SELF, 5 Mar. 2024 Using the latest technology, robot vacuums are very self-sufficient; some can map out your home, avoid stray objects, and suck up every crumb and strand of fur on your floors. Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 The not-so-dirty blonde tonal look lets the dishwater shades shine through — allowing more time in between color appointments — but still infuses some brightened strands. Shelby Wax, Allure, 29 Feb. 2024 Adwoa Beauty’s milky spray is like an essence for scalp and strands, silky, nourishing, and easily spritzed on cornrows between wefts. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
The runners were stranded when Mason Maners grounded out. Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 22 Mar. 2024 If such welfare rollbacks and depictions of the poor continue, those in need—not unlike Reverse Riders—will be left stranded and without aid. TIME, 21 Mar. 2024 In August, a pod of nearly 100 pilot whales stranded themselves on the shore of an Australian beach, befuddling marine biologists and attracting international attentio when wildlife experts made the decision to euthanize them. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 That’s certainly true of this 1932 creep-fest, about a group of travelers stranded overnight at a foreboding Welsh manor that has more than one secret stashed away in its many upper rooms. Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024 Long waits at charging stations, traffic jams that lasted for hours and snowstorms that left tens of thousands of drivers stranded across the country saw many in sudden need of a safe place to sleep. Bloomberg, Fortune Asia, 10 Mar. 2024 On Sunday, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, the new world's largest cruise ship that launched in January, rescued 14 people who had been stranded at sea for over a week. Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 Drivers who were attempting to navigate the roadways were often stranded, but no fatalities or serious injuries were reported. Donner Pass saw roughly 69 inches of snowfall over the past three days, with 98 inches at the summit. Bychris Morris, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 As politicians around the region scramble to hash out a diplomatic solution to a political crisis that has the prime minister, Ariel Henry, stranded in Puerto Rico and gangs attacking police stations, a humanitarian disaster is quickly escalating. Andre Paultre, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'strand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old Norse strǫnd shore

Noun (2)

Middle English stronde, strande

Noun (3)

Middle English strond

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1621, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of strand was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near strand

Cite this Entry

“Strand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strand. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

strand

1 of 3 noun
: the land bordering a body of water : shore, beach

strand

2 of 3 verb
1
: to run aground : beach
boats stranded by the storm
2
: to leave in a strange or an unfavorable place especially without a way of departing
stranded in a strange city

strand

3 of 3 noun
1
: one of the fibers, threads, strings, or wires twisted or braided to make a cord, rope, or cable
2
: something resembling a strand
a strand of pearls
a strand of DNA
3
: one of the elements of a complicated whole
the strands of a legal argument
Etymology

Noun

Old English strand "shore"

Noun

Middle English strond "strand, fiber"

Medical Definition

strand

noun
: something (as a molecular chain) resembling a thread
a strand of DNA

More from Merriam-Webster on strand

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!