# straddle

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈstɹæd.(ə)l/ · frequency rank #38,636

## Definitions
1. To sit or stand with a leg on each side of something; to sit astride.
2. To be on both sides of something; to have parts that are in different places, regions, etc.
3. To consider or favor two apparently opposite sides; to be noncommittal.
4. To form a disorderly sprawl; to spread out irregularly.
5. To fire successive artillery shots in front of and behind of a target, especially in order to determine its range (the term "bracket" is often used instead).
6. To place a voluntary raise prior to receiving cards (only by the first player after the blinds).
7. To stand with the ends staggered; said of the spokes of a wagon wheel where they join the hub.
8. To execute a commodities market spread.

## Etymology
As a verb, attested since the 1560s. Most likely, an alteration of dialectal striddle. The noun is first attested in the 1610s.

## Easily confused with
- **strangle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/straddle-vs-strangle)
- **saddle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saddle-vs-straddle)

## Common misspellings (11)
`srtaddle`, `sstraddle`, `starddle`, `straddel`, `straddlle`, `stradlde`, `stradle`, `strdadle`, `strraddle`, `sttraddle`, `tsraddle`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/straddle