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.
Austrian police are investigating a German man aged 21 on suspicion of endangering public safety, after his 17-year-old female friend was left stranded on Germany's highest mountain Zugspitze in sub-zero temperatures.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
In 1901 an American botanist and travel writer, Elizabeth Taylor, traveled two hours by rowboat to reach the island and found herself stranded by a storm for 16 days.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 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
A US-brokered local ceasefire in southern Ukraine was holding for a second day, both sides said on Wednesday, as hopes grew that vital aid would be able to reach stranded residents.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
The royal entourage was always a gorgeous spectacle, but that wasn’t what stopped Lazlo’s feet as abruptly as though his soul had flown on ahead of his body and left it stranded.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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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.
