Straggling - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Straggling means moving or growing in a scattered, irregular, or untidy way, often lagging behind others. It can describe people, plants, or objects spread out unevenly or progressing slowly.
Definition:
Spreading out untidily in different directions, moving slowly behind others.
Synonyms:
scattered, rambling, sprawling, dispersed
Part of Speech:
adjective, verb
Antonyms:
organized, compact
Common Collocations:
straggling vines, straggling crowd, straggling line
Derivatives:
straggler, straggly
Usage Tips:
Use "straggling" to describe things or people moving or growing in a disorderly or scattered way.
Common Phrases:
straggling behind, straggling along, straggling off
Etymology:
Derived from Middle English "straglen," meaning to wander or stray from a group or path.
Examples:
- 1. The hikers were straggling behind the group leader.
- 2. The garden had straggling weeds growing between the flowers.
- 3. She noticed a few straggling students still leaving the classroom.
- 4. The village had straggling houses along the winding road.