stride

American  

[strahyd] / straɪd /

verb (used without object)

• strides,
  present (3rd person singular)
• strode,
  past participle,  past
• stridden,
  past participle
• striding
  present participle

1. to walk with long steps, as with vigor, haste, impatience, or arrogance.

2. to take a long step.

   to stride across a puddle.

3. to straddle.

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verb (used with object)

• strides,
  present (3rd person singular)
• strode,
  past participle,  past
• stridden,
  past participle
• striding
  present participle

1. to walk with long steps along, on, through, over, etc..

   to stride the deck.

2. to pass over or across in one long step.

   to stride a ditch.

3. to straddle.

noun

• strides
  plural

1. a striding manner or a striding gait.

2. a long step in walking.

3. (in animal locomotion) the act of progressive movement completed when all the feet are returned to the same relative position as at the beginning.

4. the distance covered by such a movement.

   He was walking a stride or two ahead of the others.

5. a regular or steady course, pace, etc.

6. a step forward in development or progress.

   rapid strides in mastering algebra.

   Synonyms:

   improvement, headway, progress, development, advancement

7. Australian Informal. strides, trousers.

idioms

1. hit one's stride,

   1. to achieve a regular or steady pace or course.

   2. to reach the point or level at which one functions most competently and consistently.

      The quarterback didn't hit his stride until the second half of the game.

2. take in stride, to deal with calmly; cope with successfully.

   She was able to take her sudden rise to fame in stride.

stride British  

/ straɪd /

noun

1. a long step or pace

2. the space measured by such a step

3. a striding gait

4. an act of forward movement by an animal, completed when the legs have returned to their initial relative positions

5. progress or development (esp in the phrase make rapid strides )

6. a regular pace or rate of progress

   to get into one's stride

   to be put off one's stride

7. rowing the distance covered between strokes

8. Also called: stride piano. jazz a piano style characterized by single bass notes on the first and third beats and chords on the second and fourth

9. informal (plural) men's trousers

10. to do something without difficulty or effort

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verb

1. (intr) to walk with long regular or measured paces, as in haste, etc

2. (tr) to cover or traverse by striding

   he strode thirty miles

3. to cross (over a space, obstacle, etc) with a stride

4. (intr) rowing to achieve the desired rhythm in a racing shell

stride More Idioms  

1. see hit one's stride; make great strides; take in stride.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• strider
  noun
• outstride
  verb (used with object)
• stridingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• strides
  plural

Participles

• striding
  present
• stridden
  past
• strode
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• stride
  simple
• strides
  simple
• have stridden
  perfect
• have strode
  perfect
• has stridden
  perfect
• has strode
  perfect
• am striding
  progressive
• are striding
  progressive
• is striding
  progressive
• have been striding
  perfect progressive
• has been striding
  perfect progressive

Past

• strode
  simple
• had stridden
  perfect
• had strode
  perfect
• was striding
  progressive
• were striding
  progressive
• had been striding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will stride
  simple
• will have stridden
  perfect
• will have strode
  perfect
• will be striding
  progressive
• will have been striding
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of stride

First recorded before 900; (verb) Middle English striden, Old English strīdan; cognate with Dutch strijden, Low German strīden “to stride”; (noun) Middle English stride, derivative of the verb; akin to straddle

Explanation

The noun stride means "significant progress." You might make a huge stride towards making peace with the rival school by hosting a block party and inviting their students. The noun stride also means "a step made while running or walking." If you are bored, you can count your strides between home and the bus stop. As a verb, stride means "to walk or run by taking long steps." Elite runners stride, making it look easy. But even if you are a slow jogger, don't give up — you make great strides to improve your health when you exercise regularly.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stride strides strode stridden striding

Without the influential Tara Jane Stanley through concussion, they were odds against but with Wigan unable to get into their free-flowing stride, York's superb determination saw them over the line.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

Speaking of artists in full stride, Slayyyter has been the breakout act of the summer, which is incredible considering that her debut mixtape released in 2019.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

American markets seem to be taking it in stride for now with stocks set for another gain and bond yields stable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Yields of 5% may be taken in stride, but hitting 5.5% or 6% on the 10-year note would be more concerning, Sockin said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

Three afternoons later, Pearl and Moody were in the living room watching Ricki Lake when they saw Izzy stride calmly down the hallway, a six-pack of toilet paper under each arm.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

"We've made great strides, very positive for both countries," Trump told reporters as he had tea with Xi at the White House on Friday before the archives trip.

From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026

This would require some cooperation between the two countries, as they have taken the greatest strides, and are also the leading competitors, in the new technology.

From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2026

But by making strides in integrating agency, belonging and cause into your life, you pave the way for a smooth transition.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

She said AI is making impressive strides but thinks claims by engineers that they’ve achieved recursive self-improvement don’t stand up to scrutiny.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

The Horned King sprang heavily to the ground and was upon them in a few long strides.

From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander

At Hampton Court Palace, head gardener Graham Dillamore strode across the burnt beige grass in the spectacular formal gardens southwest of London, laid out in the 17th century.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

Savannah crossed town to the University of Arizona, her alma mater, and strode the quad in sunglasses and a sundress, trailed by the marching band playing the school’s fight song, “Bear Down, Arizona.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

When Graham Potter strode out to Sweden training last week donning a Stetson, it was a bit of fun to get into the World Cup mood as they prepared for the tournament in Texas.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

Most nights, after her husband, Carlos Manzo, tucked their small sons into bed, he donned a bullet-resistant vest, made the sign of the cross and strode out into the night.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026

“That’s an order,” she said, and strode around the bend.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

And it is into this perceived vacuum that Andy Burnham has stridden, again, to the intense irritation of Downing Street and plenty of Labour MPs.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2025

He had stridden through the deep woods with no thought of danger; he concentrated only on finding the pair that he had seen so close to death.

From "Messenger" by Lois Lowry

Through the old woman's huge, lonely, and ugly halls he had always stridden, halting a little over the rushes, and all creatures must keep out of his way.

From The Fifth Queen Crowned by Ford Madox Ford

Quick as lightning, the Wondersmith had stridden a few paces, and grasped the poor cripple, who was yet quivering with the departing thunder of his passion.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 04, No. 24, October, 1859 by Various

And Oliver, with "I don't think he'll keep me long, mother; I suppose you'll still be here when I come back?" had stridden off with a certain reluctance towards the house.

From Love and hatred by Marie Belloc Lowndes

Rangzen's livestream of his death shows a heavy-set man striding across a street in a traditional "chuba" robe and planting a Tibetan flag outside the UN.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

One imagines not the ghost of Cathy or Heathcliff, but a trio of women, very much alive and striding through the heather, their minds alight with the stories they would tell, set among similar terrain.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026

It will be Vance striding toward planes in photographs and Vance standing behind podiums to explain why negotiations aren’t working.

From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2026

Known as the Klaebo stride, or Klæbo-klyvet in Norwegian, it’s a running style used on steep uphills where he essentially sprints on his skis, leaving competitors who use traditional diagonal striding behind.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 10, 2026

I was striding forth to greet my future in the shiny New Century, a few short months away.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

Related Words

• stalk
• traipse
• tramp