1
a
: a domestic animal that is wandering at large or is lost
b
: a person or thing that strays
2
[Middle English, from straien to stray] archaic
: the act of going astray
strayed; straying; strays
: wander: such as
a
: to wander from company, restraint, or proper limits
b
: to roam about without fixed direction or purpose
c
: to move in a winding course : meander
d
: to move without conscious or intentional effort
eyes straying absently around the room
e
: to become distracted from an argument or train of thought
strayed from the point
f
: to wander accidentally from a fixed or chosen route
strayer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of stray in a Sentence
Noun
Both of her cats were strays that she found wandering in the neighborhood.
Verb
The airplane strayed off course.
our straying son swears he's returned to the straight and narrow
Adjective
stray sightings of UFO's, none of which have been rigorously analyzed by scientists
Recent Examples on the Web
The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024
The Bradshaw Animal Shelter is looking for a home for two dog friends who were found together as strays in Sacramento County, California
Stanley, a small 7-year-old dog, and Arthur, a large 4-year-old canine, don't look like twins, but the two are inseparable.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024
Read Next National Blind dog came to shelter as a stray — and needs new home.
—Julia Daye, Sacramento Bee, 27 Mar. 2024
The story of the stalwart stray went viral, covered by news outlets around the world.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024
Heffernan took him in as a stray a few weeks before the Camp Fire — the deadliest wildfire in the state’s history.
—Sydney Page, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
Arthur is a stray whose history of severe abuse and neglect is made evident through his wounds, behavior and veterinary counsel.
—Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
Like his four-legged peers, Groot made it to the adoption floor after being recovered as a stray in Milwaukee on Feb. 20.
—Journal Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2024
The agency is a private shelter and not required to take in strays, which allows its population to remain within capacity.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
PCMAG, 28 Mar. 2024
Among them: stray titanium shavings falling into electrical wiring, defective oxygen tanks and managers urging him to cut corners.
—Mark Strassmann, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2024
The Black and Decker Dustbuster quickly and efficiently sucks up bits of herbs, stray sprinkling of seasoning, and spilled flour.
—Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 25 Mar. 2024
Debra Messing Known as much for her red shade as her crazy curls, Debra Messing never strays from her signature color.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
But to critics of the A.C.L.U., Ms. Oh’s case is a sign of how far the group has strayed from its core mission — defending free speech — and has instead aligned itself with a progressive politics that is intensely focused on identity.
—Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
When any player strays into the rough, fans tend to congregate and get an even closer look at a golfer’s ball-striking abilities.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024
Radar and satellite data showed that the plane had strayed from its original route, and it is believed to have eventually crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.
—Tom Costello, NBC News, 8 Mar. 2024
Typically, orcas don’t stray from the pods they’re born in, according to the park.
—Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024
Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
New Virginia Majority community organizer Javon Bennett said fights between warring groups in the neighborhoods had escalated to the point of shootings every day, and kids were caught in the crossfire as stray bullets shattered car windows and pelted storefronts.
—Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Maricopa County Animal Care and Control announced on Friday that shelters will not be accepting stray dogs until at least March 29 after one dog tested positive for Streptococcus zooepidemicus, or Strep zoo.
—The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024
Among them was a 6-year-old boy wounded in the leg by a stray bullet during a shootout between other people in June 2023.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2024
The last thing Miranda needed during this period of stress and fear was responsibility for a dog ready to pick a fight with every stray leaf in his path.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
Can’t rule out a stray afternoon or evening shower.
—Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Directed by Simon Cellan Jones and written by Michael Brandt, the movie is based on the true story of an adventure racer who befriends a stray dog on a perilous 435-mile trek in the Dominican Republic.
—Lindsey Bahr, Quartz, 17 Mar. 2024
The drinks — González's Casa Azul tequila chased with La Croix, a few stray cans of Modelo, and one Liquid Death (i.e. water) for Game of Thrones alum John Bradley — are flowing as the game begins.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 14 Mar. 2024
Noun
Mariah was picked up by an Arizona Humane Society Emergency Animal Medical Technician™ in March of this year after she was found as an injured stray.
—The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024
The Bradshaw Animal Shelter is looking for a home for two dog friends who were found together as strays in Sacramento County, California
Stanley, a small 7-year-old dog, and Arthur, a large 4-year-old canine, don't look like twins, but the two are inseparable.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024
Read Next National Blind dog came to shelter as a stray — and needs new home.
—Julia Daye, Sacramento Bee, 27 Mar. 2024
The story of the stalwart stray went viral, covered by news outlets around the world.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024
Heffernan took him in as a stray a few weeks before the Camp Fire — the deadliest wildfire in the state’s history.
—Sydney Page, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
Arthur is a stray whose history of severe abuse and neglect is made evident through his wounds, behavior and veterinary counsel.
—Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
Like his four-legged peers, Groot made it to the adoption floor after being recovered as a stray in Milwaukee on Feb. 20.
—Journal Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2024
The agency is a private shelter and not required to take in strays, which allows its population to remain within capacity.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
Available for Nikon and Sony On the outside, the G2 edition of the lens doesn't stray far from Tamron's first take.
—PCMAG, 28 Mar. 2024
Among them: stray titanium shavings falling into electrical wiring, defective oxygen tanks and managers urging him to cut corners.
—Mark Strassmann, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2024
The Black and Decker Dustbuster quickly and efficiently sucks up bits of herbs, stray sprinkling of seasoning, and spilled flour.
—Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 25 Mar. 2024
Debra Messing Known as much for her red shade as her crazy curls, Debra Messing never strays from her signature color.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
But to critics of the A.C.L.U., Ms. Oh’s case is a sign of how far the group has strayed from its core mission — defending free speech — and has instead aligned itself with a progressive politics that is intensely focused on identity.
—Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
When any player strays into the rough, fans tend to congregate and get an even closer look at a golfer’s ball-striking abilities.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024
Radar and satellite data showed that the plane had strayed from its original route, and it is believed to have eventually crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.
—Tom Costello, NBC News, 8 Mar. 2024
Typically, orcas don’t stray from the pods they’re born in, according to the park.
—Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Separately, a chilling recent report in Sky News Arabia detailed how in the capital, Khartoum, protracted, grueling urban warfare has led to a spike in the migration of European vultures and a boom in the population of stray dogs, all drawn to the city’s carrion.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
New Virginia Majority community organizer Javon Bennett said fights between warring groups in the neighborhoods had escalated to the point of shootings every day, and kids were caught in the crossfire as stray bullets shattered car windows and pelted storefronts.
—Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Maricopa County Animal Care and Control announced on Friday that shelters will not be accepting stray dogs until at least March 29 after one dog tested positive for Streptococcus zooepidemicus, or Strep zoo.
—The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024
Among them was a 6-year-old boy wounded in the leg by a stray bullet during a shootout between other people in June 2023.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2024
The last thing Miranda needed during this period of stress and fear was responsibility for a dog ready to pick a fight with every stray leaf in his path.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
Can’t rule out a stray afternoon or evening shower.
—Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Directed by Simon Cellan Jones and written by Michael Brandt, the movie is based on the true story of an adventure racer who befriends a stray dog on a perilous 435-mile trek in the Dominican Republic.
—Lindsey Bahr, Quartz, 17 Mar. 2024
The drinks — González's Casa Azul tequila chased with La Croix, a few stray cans of Modelo, and one Liquid Death (i.e. water) for Game of Thrones alum John Bradley — are flowing as the game begins.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 14 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stray.' 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
Middle English, from Anglo-French estraié, past participle of estraier
Verb
Middle English straien, from Anglo-French estraier, from Vulgar Latin *extravagare, from Latin extra- outside + vagari to wander — more at extra-
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of stray was
in the 13th century
Dictionary Entries Near stray
Cite this Entry
“Stray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stray. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
stray
1 of 3 noun1
: a domestic animal that is wandering loose or is lost
2
: a person or thing that strays
stray
2 of 3 verb1
: to wander from a group or from the proper place : roam
the dog strayed from the yard
2
: to wander from a fixed or chosen route or at random
accidentally strayed off the path
3
: to become distracted from an argument or chain of thought
strayed from the point
strayer
noun
stray
3 of 3 adjective1
: having strayed or been lost
a stray dog
2
: occurring in one place and another or at random
a few stray hairs
More from Merriam-Webster on stray
Nglish: Translation of stray for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of stray for Arabic Speakers
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