stranded; stranding; strands
1
: to run, drive, or cause to drift onto a strand : run aground
2
: to leave in a strange or an unfavorable place especially without funds or means to depart
3
: to leave (a base runner) on base at the end of an inning in baseball
: to become stranded
1
a
: fibers or filaments twisted, plaited, or laid parallel to form a unit for further twisting or plaiting into yarn, thread, rope, or cordage
b
: one of the wires twisted together or laid parallel to form a wire rope or cable
c
: something (such as a molecular chain) resembling a strand
a strand of DNA
2
a
: an element (such as a yarn or thread) of a woven or plaited material
b
: a threadlike piece of natural or synthetic material
a strand of hair
3
: an elongated or twisted and plaited body resembling a rope
a strand of pearls
4
: one of the elements interwoven in a complex whole
one strand of the novel's plot
stranded; stranding; strands
1
: to break a strand of (a rope) accidentally
2
a
: to form (something, such as a rope) from strands
b
: to play out, twist, or arrange in a strand
Synonyms
Examples of strand in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the wishful dream of living an indolent, idyllic existence on some far-off strand
Verb (1)
the ghostly remains of ships that had been stranded by the reef
he just drove off, stranding her in some dinky town with just a few bucks and the clothes she was wearing
Recent Examples on the Web
Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 14 Nov. 2024
Volunteers string more than 50 strands of lights — that's more than 4,000 bulbs — around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in downtown Indianapolis.
—Holly V. Hays, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Nov. 2024
Susie Violet Ward, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
A day of fun at a Southern California amusement park turned into a nightmare for several thrill-seekers stranded on a ride at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for strand 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
The vegetable doesn’t need to be incredibly soft to create spaghetti-like strands.
—Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 14 Nov. 2024
Volunteers string more than 50 strands of lights — that's more than 4,000 bulbs — around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in downtown Indianapolis.
—Holly V. Hays, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Nov. 2024
Verb
With the right policies, farms could host bitcoin mining operations that use excess or stranded renewable energy, creating additional income streams for farmers while supporting energy efficiency.
—Susie Violet Ward, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
A day of fun at a Southern California amusement park turned into a nightmare for several thrill-seekers stranded on a ride at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for strand
Dictionary Entries Near strand
Cite this Entry
“Strand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strand. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
strand
2 of 3 verb1
: to run aground : beach
boats stranded by the storm
2
: to leave in a strange or an unfavorable place especially without a way of departing
stranded in a strange city
strand
3 of 3 noun1
: one of the fibers, threads, strings, or wires twisted or braided to make a cord, rope, or cable
2
: something resembling a strand
a strand of pearls
a strand of DNA
3
: one of the elements of a complicated whole
the strands of a legal argument
Etymology
Noun
Old English strand "shore"
Noun
Middle English strond "strand, fiber"
Medical Definition
strand
noun
: something (as a molecular chain) resembling a thread
a strand of DNA
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share