What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
estray
Example
The farmer found an estray cow wandering on his land. [estray: noun]
Example
I found an estray phone on the bus and turned it in to the driver. [estray: adjective]
Example
The church helped the estray youth find their way back to a better path. [estray: adjective]
stray
Example
The dog was a stray before we adopted him from the shelter. [stray: noun]
Example
I accidentally strayed from the hiking trail and got lost. [strayed: verb]
Example
The stray thought distracted me from my work. [stray: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Stray is more commonly used than estray in everyday language. Stray is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while estray is less common and typically used in more formal or legal settings.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between estray and stray?
While estray is typically associated with a more formal tone, stray is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
