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Glite Dictionary
straying

straying

5.8
Lost after moving away from the path or home where it should be
  • adjective
  • /ˈstreɪɪŋ/
translation icon : desviado
  • The lost hiker was straying off the marked trail when he realized he couldn't find his way back.

Examples

  • The cat wandered off, straying far from home and getting lost in the unfamiliar neighborhood.

  • After getting separated from the group, she found herself straying into the dense forest, unsure of where to go.

  • It's to be vital to have some maverick willing to explore unorthodox paths, perhaps straying far from the anticipated or consensus route.

Synonyms

adrift
vsstraying
23 5.6

Not having a clear direction or purpose

implies being physically off course rather than merely aimless
astray
vsstraying
20 4.6

Away from the correct path or intended goal

is about being unable to find one's way or physically lost
disoriented
vsstraying
6 5.1

Feeling confused or lost about your place among others

describes inability to find the correct path rather than a social confusion
directionless
vsstraying
4 6.0

Having no clear aim or plan

is about not being able to find the correct physical path
roving
vsstraying
2 4.1

Moving from place to place without a fixed home

refers to being lost or unable to find the right path
wandering
vsstraying
3.7

Moving without a fixed direction or plan

is specifically about being unable to find the correct path
ranging
vsstraying
5.1

Moving freely over a wide area or from one topic to another

focuses on being lost from the correct path rather than wide movement

Antonyms

oriented
3.7

Familiar with a place or aimed at a particular purpose

How Lost

lost
6 1.0
straying
5.8
wandering
6 3.4
off-track
25 4.0

Surface Forms

straying positive

Morphology

straying = stray (transparent) = stray + ing

A standard adjectival/present-participle formation from the verb 'stray' whose meaning 'wandering or lost' is directly predictable from the base.

Etymology

Straying comes from the old verb stray, which meant 'to wander' or 'move away from the path', and you still see this idea in the word astray. Think of a lamb leaving its field, so something that is straying has wandered off and is lost or off the right path.