Straddle the fence Meaning in English
expression
STRAD-uhl thuh FENS
strad-UHL thuh FENS
Definition
To avoid choosing sides in a disagreement or argument, often to not offend anyone or to wait for more information.
Usage & Nuances
This is an informal idiom. Commonly used in discussions of politics, business, or personal disagreements. Implies indecision or unwillingness to commit; sometimes seen as lacking courage or being cautious.
Spanish: mantenerse neutral - no tomar partidoPortuguese (BR): ficar em cima do muroPortuguese (PT): ficar em cima do muroChinese (Simplified): 保持中立 - 摇摆不定Chinese (Traditional): 保持中立 - 搖擺不定Hindi: बीच का रास्ता अपनाना - तटस्थ रहनाArabic: الوقوف على الحياد - عدم اتخاذ موقفBengali: দোদুল্যমান থাকা - নিরপেক্ষ থাকাRussian: занимать нейтральную позицию - не принимать сторонуJapanese: 中立の立場をとる - はっきりしない態度をとるVietnamese: giữ thái độ trung lập - không theo phe nàoKorean: 중립을 지키다 - 입장을 명확히 하지 않다Turkish: taraf tutmamak - kararsız kalmakUrdu: درمیانی راستہ اختیار کرنا - غیر جانبدار رہناIndonesian: bersikap netral - tidak memihak
Example Sentences
She tends to straddle the fence when her friends argue.
basic
Some politicians straddle the fence to avoid losing support.
basic
It's not good to always straddle the fence.
basic
Stop straddling the fence and make a decision!
natural
It's hard to respect someone who always straddles the fence.
natural
He managed to straddle the fence until everyone else agreed.
natural