strained

1 of 2

adjective

ˈstrānd 

1

: done or produced with excessive effort

a strained smile

2

: pushed by antagonism near to open conflict

strained relations

strained

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of strain entry 2

Synonyms of strained

Adjective

• mock
• unnatural
• exaggerated
• affected
• false
• forced
• artificial
• contrived
• simulated
• fake
• mechanical
• assumed
• pseudo

Examples of strained in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

Salt-Roasted Beet Salad Roasted beets pair with fresh herbs, fennel, spiced pepitas, and a swoop of strained yogurt. — Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 17 Sep. 2026

Lizzie also had a strained relationship with Abby, her dad's second wife and her stepmother. — Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

Kelly Osbourne discussed her strained relationship with her sister Aimee Osbourne in a new interview. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 17 Sep. 2026

Within a few weeks, first baseman Andrew Vaughn (hamate fracture) and outfielder and unofficial captain Christian Yelich (strained groin) joined him on the IL. — Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for strained

• abstained
• arraigned
• attained
• bloodstained
• campaigned
• complained
• constrained
• contained
• curtained
• detained
• disdained
• distrained

Kids Definition

strained

adjective

ˈstrānd 

1

: not easy or natural : forced

a strained smile

2

: brought close to war

strained relations between countries