stranded 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of strandednext
as in landed
resting on the shore or bottom of a body of water stranded whales often die because their bodies overheat on the hot sand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stranded

2 of 2

verb

past tense of strand
1
as in wrecked
to cause irreparable damage to (a ship) by running aground or sinking the ghostly remains of ships that had been stranded by the reef

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in left
to cause to remain behind he just drove off, stranding her in some dinky town with just a few bucks and the clothes she was wearing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stranded
Verb
In order to test him during his childhood, his parents do everything from shooting an apple off his head to leaving him stranded in a dangerous part of town, forcing John to fend for himself. — Matt Minton, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026 For those stranded by a flood, survival depends on many factors including access to oxygen, food and water. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 King seemed stranded in a faraway world, tortured by a discomfort that no amount of affection could soothe. — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 Officials are also trying to track down travelers who might have been stranded along the North Kaibab Trail. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 30 Aug. 2026 At Dhunge Bazaar after the rain had cleared — three JCB diggers resumed the painstaking task of reopening the road up to the China border where communities are still stranded following deadly landslides on Wednesday. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026 The Marlins lost, 4-2, after the bullpen coughed up the lead and after the offense went just 2 for 18 with runners in scoring position and stranded 14 players on base. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 Two climbers who became stranded in Big Sur on California's Central Coast were brought to safety following a weekend rescue that was captured on video, according to officials. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 While many animals initially returned to the sea, the pod stranded again further along the coast, highlighting the complexity of mass strandings. — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stranded
  1. grounded
  2. wrecked
  3. abandoned
  4. beached
Adjective
  • However, her performance soon takes on a more grounded, childlike cadence, which roots the supposedly amnesiac Margot a little too firmly within the literal, especially for a tale whose poetry lies in its uncanniness.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • As a filmmaker, Henderson is interested in juxtaposing grounded characters and everyday settings with suspense, horror and the supernatural.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of grounded
Verb
  • As more cars wrecked behind the incident, NASCAR was forced to throw the caution flag — freezing the field with Preece in front.
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But in a case of life imitating art, the show’s entire publicity strategy was inadvertently wrecked by a real-life aristocrat, after reports leaked that Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was being eyed for a role in the series.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrecked
Verb
  • When a friend pointed out some weighted bags lining the path at the bottom of the staircase one day, the siblings quickly abandoned the water jug idea.
    — Jenna Belhumeur, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Geren said the convention center was part of a larger effort to revitalize downtown Fort Worth in the 1960s after it was partly abandoned by commercial tenants in the previous decade.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of abandoned
Adjective
  • Despite these efforts, high tide came and went, and the whale remained beached.
    — Robin Romm, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
  • Hundreds of sea turtles become beached or stranded every year from injury, disease, illness or environmental threats, the zoo says.
    — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025
Definition of beached

Browse Nearby Words

strand
stranded
stranding
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stranded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stranded. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All