# astride

/əˈstɹaɪd/ (US) · /ɐstɹˈaɪd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adverb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/astride
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

with one leg on each side of something. You sit this way on a horse, a motorbike, or a chair.

For teachers: with legs positioned on either side of something, as in sitting or riding. Typically follows verbs of posture or movement such as sit, stand, or ride.

## Examples

- She sits astride the horse and holds the reins.
- The child sits astride his father's shoulders to see over the crowd at the parade.
- The statue shows the general astride a rearing horse, surveying a battlefield that no longer exists except in bronze and memory.

## Usage notes

- Typically follows verbs such as sit, ride, or stand; when followed directly by a noun phrase, takes an object like a preposition.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.