Strays

The plural of 'stray', meaning to wander from a direct course or the proper place; to deviate or digress. It implies moving away from a group, a planned route, or a moral path. It can also refer to animals or objects that have been lost or separated from their owners or original location, and also to people who go in a different path to the group or organization.

Strays meaning with examples

• The lost puppy, neglected and alone, strays from the park's edge, searching desperately for its family, its small paws padding the sidewalk. The worried owner posted flyers, praying the missing companion would be found. This highlights the fear associated with separation and the longing for belonging. The animal searches for comfort and shelter.
• During the debate, the politician strays from the topic at hand, getting sidetracked into discussing irrelevant personal anecdotes and criticisms of his opponents' policies, and showing a poor argument. The moderator tries to gently steer him back. It shows distraction from the intended path
• When the children are left unsupervised, the adventurous child strays from the designated play area, exploring the wooded path that borders the playground, and discovering the hidden beauty of nature. The other children stay at the play zone. This demonstrates the desire for exploring the unknown.
• The data point strays from the expected trend line, its values are unusually high. The scientist double checks the calculations, suspecting an error, looking to see what made it different from the rest, such as external variable. The goal is to regain a steady flow of values