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
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
Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
The feline, believed to be a stray, was taken to the Washington Area Humane Society, per the outlet.
—Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
Jack Magruder, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
What’s been pitched here, however, has enough wonderfully lived-in bend, air and tempo to keep from straying off course.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2025
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2025
The wife and mother was killed by a stray bullet while in her back yard in the 3900 block of Frisco Avenue.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stray
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Noun
Found as a stray and rescued by Marley's Mutts, Perry had a rough start, struggling to trust people.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
The feline, believed to be a stray, was taken to the Washington Area Humane Society, per the outlet.
—Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
Duke and Auburn topped the national rankings the last two weeks, and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament selection committee saw no reason to stray.
—Jack Magruder, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
What’s been pitched here, however, has enough wonderfully lived-in bend, air and tempo to keep from straying off course.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
On Friday, automatic gunshots could be heard throughout Port-au-Prince where people brave enough to take to the streets were ducking stray bullets — even in restaurants.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2025
The wife and mother was killed by a stray bullet while in her back yard in the 3900 block of Frisco Avenue.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stray
Cite this Entry
“Stray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stray. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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