strait

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun strait differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of strait are contingency, crisis, emergency, exigency, juncture, pinch, and straits. While all these words mean "a critical or crucial time or state of affairs," strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

in dire straits

In what contexts can contingency take the place of strait?

In some situations, the words contingency and strait are roughly equivalent. However, contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

contingency plans

When might crisis be a better fit than strait?

The words crisis and strait are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.

a crisis of confidence

When is it sensible to use emergency instead of strait?

The meanings of emergency and strait largely overlap; however, emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies

Where would exigency be a reasonable alternative to strait?

While the synonyms exigency and strait are close in meaning, exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

provide for exigencies

When would juncture be a good substitute for strait?

The words juncture and strait can be used in similar contexts, but juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.

an important juncture in our country's history

How is pinch related to other words for strait?

Pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.

come through in a pinch

Examples of strait in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As San Sebastian headed into its final straits on Friday, it was being hailed by Spanish reviewers as the Spanish series of the year. John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Sep. 2024 Nearly every day during summer months, Andre and his teammates board a small boat on the Spanish coast and sail into the strait to track the movement of the orcas. Josh Lederman, NBC News, 15 Sep. 2024 The oil market has been turned on its head since the 2020 presidential election, when the price of oil had collapsed in the midst of the COVID pandemic and the industry seemed to be in dire financial straits. Justin Worland, TIME, 11 Sep. 2024 The fort name, according to the historical society, was in honor of the French marine minister who approved Cadillac’s trip, the location and the narrow strait le détroit. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 19 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for strait 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'strait.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near strait

Cite this Entry

“Strait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strait. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on strait

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!