1
: done or produced with excessive effort
2
: pushed by antagonism near to open conflict
strained relations
Synonyms
Examples of strained in a Sentence
He made a strained attempt at being polite.
I took the complaint manager's strained smile to mean I wasn't a welcome sight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Porzingis, who had been sidelined since April 29 with a strained right calf, came off the bench and provided an immediate spark, adding six rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes.
—
Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2024
Carlos Correa’s strained intercostal turned him into their shortstop.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 5 June 2024
After months of delays, and a few strained gestures of reconciliation from the president, the pension reform finally passed in October 2019.
—Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2020
The strained relations have put a pause on plans to release 20 parrots per year over 20 years.
—Fabiano Maisonnave, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for strained 
Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2024
Carlos Correa’s strained intercostal turned him into their shortstop.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 5 June 2024
After months of delays, and a few strained gestures of reconciliation from the president, the pension reform finally passed in October 2019.
—Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2020
The strained relations have put a pause on plans to release 20 parrots per year over 20 years.
—Fabiano Maisonnave, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for strained
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'strained.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near strained
Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strained. Accessed 15 Jun. 2024.
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