straw
noun
\ ˈstrȯ
\
\
Definition of straw
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: stalks of grain after threshing
broadly
: dry stalky plant residue used like grain straw (as for bedding or packing)
b
: a natural or artificial heavy fiber used for weaving, plaiting, or braiding
2
: a dry coarse stem especially of a cereal grass
3a(1)
: something of small worth or significance
(2)
: something too insubstantial to provide support or help in a desperate situation
clutching at straws
b
: chaff sense 2
4a
: something (such as a hat) made of straw
b
: a tube (as of paper, plastic, or glass) for sucking up a beverage
5
: straw yellow
straw in the wind
: a slight fact that is an indication of a coming event
straw
adjectiveDefinition of straw (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: made of straw
a straw hat
2
: of, relating to, or used for straw
a straw barn
3
: of the color of straw : pale yellow in color
straw hair
4
: of little or no value : worthless
5
: of, relating to, resembling, or being a straw man
6
: of, relating to, or concerned with the discovery of preferences by means of a straw vote
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Other Words from straw
Noun
strawy
\ ˈstrȯ-ē
\
adjective
\
adjective
Synonyms for straw
Synonyms: Adjective
blond (or blonde), fair, flaxen, golden, sandy, tawny
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Examples of straw in a Sentence
Noun
He was chewing on a straw. He asked for a straw for his iced tea. She drank the juice through a straw.Adjective
the cheese maker told us that the best Parmesan cheeses are straw, not white, in color
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
On a sunny Sunday stroll through Beacon, a couple of ramblers are wearing straw trilbies in the farmers’ market. — James Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, "A tip of the hat to history," 3 Sep. 2019 Modern scarecrows are a drastic departure from the straw buddy from The Wizard of Oz. — David Wilson, Smithsonian, "These High-Tech Scarecrows Will Keep Pesky Creatures Away," 3 Sep. 2019 Everyone grabs for their tottering beverages, trying desperately to prevent spritzes and garnishes and straws (paper, natch) from making contact with summer whites. — Amiel Stanek, Bon Appétit, "This 20-Cent Wedge of Plastic Will Make You a Restaurant Hero," 26 Aug. 2019 For example, cattle prefer to lie on wood chips while sheep and goats prefer straw. — Zekriah Chaudhry, Twin Cities, "State Fair: Getting the animals in and out like a choreographed dance," 25 Aug. 2019 Criminal networks, like those in the scamming industry, also turn to straw buyers in the United States — people who purchase the guns legally and send them to Jamaica, either complicit, misled or uninterested in how they are used. — Azam Ahmed, New York Times, "One Handgun, 9 Murders: How American Firearms Cause Carnage Abroad," 25 Aug. 2019 While 4-year-old gelding Kylemore is out on the track, Aguilar cleans the stall and hefts a 100-pound bale of hay with a pitchfork to add new straw. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Day in the life of a groom on the Del Mar backstretch," 24 Aug. 2019 Police found inside the purse: Alprazolam pills, Xanax pills, suspected crack cocaine, one pill cutter, one straw with white residue, and one syringe plunger, according to the statement. — Mary Grace Keller, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Westminster woman charged with intent to distribute after police allegedly find narcotics in her purse, rectum," 23 Aug. 2019 Both suits alleged Walmart should have known the gun used in the slayings involved a straw purchase, where the buyer is purchasing the gun for another person. — Kate Gibson, CBS News, "Walmart and other retailers face a new front on gun sales: Lawsuits," 23 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The nation's largest auto finance company has dropped its lawsuit against auto dealer Russ Darrow over loans to what turned out to be straw buyers of luxury vehicles destined for China via a con man's business. — Bruce Vielmetti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Finance firm drops suit against Russ Darrow dealership over straw buyers for fugitive con man," 24 Apr. 2018 The nation's largest auto finance company has dropped its lawsuit against auto dealer Russ Darrow over loans to what turned out to be straw buyers of luxury vehicles destined for China via a con man's business. — Bruce Vielmetti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Finance firm drops suit against Russ Darrow dealership over straw buyers for fugitive con man," 24 Apr. 2018 Straw bags with pom-pom accents are sure to please. — NOLA.com, "4 cool new shops and galleries to discover around New Orleans," 8 July 2017 Straw blinds go up to the ceiling, concealing the fact that the windows are much shorter. — Lisa Cregan, House Beautiful, "An Empty "White Cube" Apartment Gets Its Masterpiece Theatre Moment," 19 Jan. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'straw.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for straw
straw
noun
English Language Learners Definition of straw
: the dry stems of wheat and other grain plants
: a single dry stem of a grain plant
: a thin tube used for sucking up a drink
See the full definition for straw in the English Language Learners Dictionary
straw
noun
\ ˈstrȯ
\
\