stranded
1 Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of stranded1
First recorded in 1700–10 in its literal sense “run or driven ashore,” and in its figurative sense in 1850–55; strand 1 ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Origin of stranded2
Explanation
If you’re stuck somewhere with no way of getting anywhere else, you’re stranded. If you run out of gas while driving in the desert, you'll be stranded until someone finds you. Good luck! If you’re stranded, you probably experienced some kind of transportation failure. You might see stranded travelers at an airport in the middle of a blizzard. Boats can be stranded if their engines break down. Anything left behind or stuck can be called stranded, like a stranded fish in a tidal pool, or a stranded child at a fair. Stranded involves being left somewhere unpleasant, remote, or inconvenient — if you’re stuck at an amazing restaurant you're really not stranded.
Vocabulary lists containing stranded
Holes
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Bridge to Terabithia
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for November 27–December 3, 2021
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Lubinets said he wanted to see new ceasefires, similar to the one in Oleshky, and that he had discussed the fate of other Ukrainian citizens -- stranded or imprisoned -- with Lantratova.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
Their situation became even more dangerous when pack ice destroyed their ship, leaving them stranded in one of the world's most unforgiving environments.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
In travel news this week, a residential cruise ship, The Odyssey, abruptly shut down and stranded passengers in Cambodia due to financial problems.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Coast Guard helicopter R118, based in County Sligo, flew to the scene but the force of the winds meant its crew were unable to help the stranded couple.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Recently, stranded at the airport with nothing else to read, I had read an article about shark attacks.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
