1
: done or produced with excessive effort
a strained smile
2
: pushed by antagonism near to open conflict
strained relations
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
When Sony ultimately gets its way, Anderson and DiCaprio’s once-close relationship is noticeably strained on set.
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with those claims at a White House meeting last year that underlined the strained relationship.
—Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with those claims at a dramatic White House meeting last year that underlined the strained relationship.
—Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
About two dozen south and southwest suburban residents, along with environmental advocates and two Naperville residents, gathered Monday to voice concerns that nearby data centers could lead to higher utility bills, regional power outages, declining air quality and strained water supplies.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
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Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with those claims at a White House meeting last year that underlined the strained relationship.
—Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with those claims at a dramatic White House meeting last year that underlined the strained relationship.
—Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
About two dozen south and southwest suburban residents, along with environmental advocates and two Naperville residents, gathered Monday to voice concerns that nearby data centers could lead to higher utility bills, regional power outages, declining air quality and strained water supplies.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strained. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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