astray

[ uh-strey ]

/ əˈstreɪ /

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See synonyms for astray on Thesaurus.com

adverb, adjective

out of the right way; off the correct or known road, path, or route: Despite specific instructions, they went astray and got lost.

away from that which is right; into error, confusion, or undesirable action or thought: They were led astray by their lust for money.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of astray

1250–1300; Middle English astraye<Anglo-French *astraié,Old French estraié, past participle of estraier;see stray

Words nearby astray

astral body, astral plane, astral projection, Astrangia, astraphobia, astray, Streetcar Named Desire, A, astrict, Astrid, astride, astringe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use astray in a sentence

He said Stewart, who had never received a federal contract before, was led astray by an unnamed third party who had promised the goods and then failed to deliver.
Contractor admits he lied to get nearly $40 million in N95 contracts from federal government|Rachel Weiner|February 4, 2021|Washington Post
For instance, an operator can click on a specific location and Spot will travel to it, using its onboard sensors to ensure that it doesn’t tip over or go astray along the way.
Boston Dynamics gave its dog-like robot a charging dock and an arm on its head|Stan Horaczek|February 2, 2021|Popular-Science
It is also less likely than other state-of-the-art image recognition models to be led astray by adversarial examples, which have been subtly altered in ways that typically confuse algorithms even though humans might not notice a difference.
This avocado armchair could be the future of AI|Will Heaven|January 5, 2021|MIT Technology Review
You know, so many times people have been led astray or disappointed.
Voters Approved a Much Tougher Police Oversight Board – Now What?|Sara Libby|November 5, 2020|Voice of San Diego

You can make mistakes or go astray for a while, but that doesn’t matter in the long run.
A Scientist Who Delights in the Mundane|Steve Nadis|October 26, 2020|Quanta Magazine
But sometimes, the quest for facts lets us down, or leads us astray, and leaves us worse off than before, not better.
On Torture, Chuck Johnson & Sondheim|James Poulos|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Certainly, other communities—ultra-Orthodox Jews, for example—are fretting about members who go online, and then astray.
God vs. the Internet. And the Winner is…|Michael Schulson|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The spokeswoman suggests that the girls had not been radicalized, only led astray.
How ISIS’s Colorado Girls Were Caught|Michael Daly|October 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Percy Heath, a merry fellow, specialized in leading the Reverend Professor Doctor astray and had a lot of fun with him.
The Stacks: H.L. Mencken on the 1904 Baltimore Fire|H.L. Mencken|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Israelis have not yet confirmed that these were their shells, and have raised the possibility that a Hamas rocket went astray.
Inside the Gaza Schoolyard Massacre|Jesse Rosenfeld|July 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Many shall come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and shall lead many astray.
His Last Week|William E. Barton
And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray.
His Last Week|William E. Barton
Directors sometimes go astray and cases are constantly arising to determine their liability.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles
A repair to the car delayed us and we went several miles astray on the road.
British Highways And Byways From A Motor Car|Thomas D. Murphy
For as it was your mind to go astray from God; so when you return again you shall seek him ten times as much.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various

British Dictionary definitions for astray

astray

/ (əˈstreɪ) /

adjective, adverb (postpositive)

out of the correct path or direction

out of the right, good, or expected way; into error

Word Origin for astray

C13: from Old French estraie roaming, from estraier to stray

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with astray

astray

see best-laid plans go astray; go astray.

astray

Origin of astray

Words nearby astray

Words related to astray

How to use astray in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for astray

Word Origin for astray

Other Idioms and Phrases with astray