stray
noun
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Definition of stray
(Entry 1 of 3)
stray
verbDefinition of stray (Entry 2 of 3)
stray
adjectiveDefinition of stray (Entry 3 of 3)
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Synonyms & Antonyms for stray
Synonyms: Verb
err, fall, offend, sin, transgress, trespass, wander
Synonyms: Adjective
aimless, arbitrary, catch-as-catch-can, desultory, erratic, haphazard, helter-skelter, hit-or-miss, random, scattered, slapdash
Antonyms: Adjective
methodical (also methodic), nonrandom, orderly, organized, regular, systematic, systematized
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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 narrowAdjective
stray sightings of UFO's, none of which have been rigorously analyzed by scientists
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
In Chile, stray dogs were the top concern among city dwellers surveyed this year, topping deteriorating sidewalks and theft. — Anchorage Daily News, "The dog is one of the world’s most destructive mammals. Brazil proves it.," 21 Aug. 2019 Last year, animal control took in more than 16,000 animals, which included stray animals and pets surrendered to the agency by owners, according to city data. — Javonte Anderson, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago animal rescue groups partner to ‘save as many’ animals as possible this weekend," 9 Aug. 2019 Feeding stray animals is a violation of a city ordinance. — Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, "A 79-year-old woman fed stray cats because she was lonely. Now, she faces jail time," 23 July 2019 In 2015, a stray dog that was hit by a car dug out of its grave in Washington state, KHQ-TV reported. — Joel Shannon, USA TODAY, "There are many 'zombie' animals. Here's which ones you should actually worry about," 28 June 2019 Photo: James Hagerty/The Wall Street Journal Mr. Togneri, the police spokesman, said the officers eventually snagged the beast with poles normally used to capture stray dogs, then duct-taped its jaws shut. — James R. Hagerty, WSJ, "‘We Don’t Need Alligators in Pittsburgh’: Spate of Reptile Escapes Confounds Police," 19 June 2019 With livestock easy pickings, and a plentiful supply of stray dogs (the leopards’ standard fare), numbers of leopards are higher amongst the ten villages of Bera than on any wildlife reserve. — National Geographic, "This Indian community welcomes leopards," 22 Mar. 2019 If they are not claimed, the strays either remain at the city shelter or are transferred to the Anti-Cruelty Society, depending on space at each. — Marie Fazio, chicagotribune.com, "Crowded Chicago animal shelters brace for strays after July 4," 2 July 2019 The strays have not been claimed yet and are currently at a shelter getting checked out. — Dixita Limbachia, Detroit Free Press, "3 German Shepherds found wandering on Lodge Freeway in Detroit," 26 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
In 1983, a Soviet air force fighter jet fired an air-to-air missile at a South Korean passenger plane that strayed into Soviet territory, killing all 269 people on board. — Time, "South Korea Says It Fired 360 Rounds of Warning Shots After a Russian Warplane Violated Airspace," 23 July 2019 If Philip strayed too far from the transmission unit on the kitchen counter, his probation officer would be alerted. — Ann Neumann, Harper's magazine, "Going to Extremes," 10 June 2019 Two recent books remind us how far our higher-education system has strayed from the humanistic ideal at the heart of the Bard project. — Jonathan Zimmerman, The New York Review of Books, "Jonathan Zimmerman," 21 Mar. 2019 In The Chamber offers an eclectic sound that, while never straying too far of course, isn’t afraid to wander down various Americana back roads. — Chip Mccabe, courant.com, "10 bands you can’t miss at the 2019 Podunk Bluegrass Festival," 31 July 2019 Go under a screen for Conley or stray away from Bogdanović at your own peril. — Rob Mahoney, SI.com, "The Jazz Don't Need to Be a Superteam," 26 July 2019 The craft never left the ground, and stray flames appeared to shoot out from the top of the vehicle, but no serious damage was done. — Jackie Wattles, CNN, "SpaceX's massive Starship prototype lifts off," 26 July 2019 Venezuela claimed the navy plane had strayed into its airspace. — The Economist, "Politics this week," 25 July 2019 Republicans questioned the origins of the probe itself and insinuated Mueller's investigators were biased against the president, evoking one of the few times Mueller strayed off script to defend the integrity of his team. — Grace Segers, Kathryn Watson, Stefan Becket, CBS News, "Mueller sticks to the script in day of grueling testimony," 24 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
According to Crossfire, a growing number of people are hit, often killed, each year by stray bullets — some fired by criminals, some by police. — Washington Post, "Killings by police divide Brazilian city weary of crime," 22 Aug. 2019 Neal had to be his proxy at the funeral of a 2-year-old boy slain by a stray bullet, a reminder of the city's gun violence. — Author: Steve Hendrix, Joshua Partlow, Anchorage Daily News, "How Pete Buttigieg went from war protester to ‘packing my bags for Afghanistan’," 29 July 2019 The family of a Richmond father killed by a stray bullet outside his home in May is pleading for the public’s help to identify suspects in his death. — Lauren Hernández, SFChronicle.com, "Family of Richmond man killed by stray bullet outside his home asks for help in finding suspects," 24 July 2019 Drew Dickson wrote about his son, Max, who had trouble working through depression and anxiety as a teenager, but found purpose after finding a stray dog in Costa Rica. — Scott Horner, Indianapolis Star, "How Colts cornerback Kenny Moore helped save a dog's life, and maybe a young man's," 18 June 2019 Students and parents are demanding the city pay attention to the perils lurking along