Pronunciation: /streɪ/
noun a domestic animal that is wandering or has escaped
A1 I found a stray cat wandering around my neighborhood.
A2 The animal shelter is full of stray dogs looking for homes.
B1 It's important to report any stray animals to the local authorities.
B2 The city has a program to spay and neuter stray cats to control the population.
C1 The organization works tirelessly to rescue and rehabilitate stray animals.
C2 She dedicated her life to caring for stray animals and finding them loving homes.
verb to move away aimlessly from a group or from the right course or place
A1 The cat strayed away from its owner.
A2 The lost dog strayed into the park.
B1 The hiker strayed off the trail and got lost in the forest.
B2 The ship strayed off course due to a navigation error.
C1 The politician strayed from their party's official stance on the issue.
C2 The author's writing style often strays into experimental territory.
adjective not in the right place; separated from the group or proper place
A1 The stray cat followed me home.
A2 I found a stray dog wandering the streets.
B1 The stray sheep got lost in the forest.
B2 The stray horse was eventually captured and returned to its owner.
C1 The stray cow caused havoc in the village before being rounded up.
C2 The stray elephant was a rare sight in the city, causing excitement among the residents.
adverb in a way that is not planned or controlled
A1 The cat stray wandered aimlessly through the park.
A2 She stray glanced at the clock on the wall.
B1 The hiker stray veered off the main trail and got lost.
B2 The detective stray followed the suspect discreetly.
C1 The journalist stray digressed from the main topic during the interview.
C2 The author stray inserted subtle hints throughout the novel.
formal The animal shelter is currently housing several stray cats and dogs.
informal I found a stray kitten outside my house and decided to take it in.
slang I saw a stray dog wandering around the neighborhood looking for food.
figurative Her thoughts began to stray from the task at hand, leading to a lack of focus.
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