stray
/streɪ/
noun
- A domestic animal, especially a pet, that has wandered away from its home and is lost or without an owner.
- We found a stray dog shivering under the porch and took it to the shelter.
- The cat was a stray that had been living in the alley for months.
- She adopted a stray from the animal rescue center.
adjective
- (of a domestic animal) Having no home or owner; lost.
- The shelter cares for stray dogs until they find new families.
- A stray cat appeared at our back door every evening for food.
- They spotted a stray horse wandering near the highway.
- Separated from a group or intended place; isolated or random.
- A stray bullet hit a window during the celebration.
- There were a few stray hairs on the bathroom floor.
- He found a stray sock under the bed that didn't match any pair.
verb
- To move away from a group, path, or proper place, often by accident.
- Her thoughts strayed to the beach while she was supposed to be working.
- During the hike, we strayed off the trail and got lost for an hour.
- The little boy strayed from his mother in the crowded market.
- To deviate from a subject, rule, or standard.
- The report strayed into areas that were not part of the original question.
- He strayed from his diet and ate a whole pizza.
- The teacher warned the students not to stray from the topic during the debate.
Antonyms