under (a/the) strain
idiom
: having to do too much, dealing with a difficult problem, etc.
She has been under (a lot of) strain lately.
He is holding up under the strain.
He cracked/collapsed/buckled under the strain.
Examples of under (a/the) strain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The agency has been under strain amid the wave of federal layoffs and buyouts pushed by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency.
—
Zac Anderson, USA Today, 8 May 2025
Federal scientists had developed a network of buoys and monitoring equipment to detect blooms in real time and alert local water systems, enabling proactive treatment and public warnings, but due to the federal cuts, this system is being put under strain.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
With global supply chains already under strain from geopolitical tensions and logistical bottlenecks, the ever-changing tariff policies have increased uncertainty and operational costs for businesses across industries.
—Rohit Arora, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Already baseball is straining to accommodate those pitchers whose elbows, shoulders or other body parts have failed under the strain of throwing balls at such high velocities.
—Bruce Schoenfeld Robert Fass Tanya Pérez Brian St. Pierre, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for under (a/the) strain
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Zac Anderson, USA Today, 8 May 2025
Federal scientists had developed a network of buoys and monitoring equipment to detect blooms in real time and alert local water systems, enabling proactive treatment and public warnings, but due to the federal cuts, this system is being put under strain.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
With global supply chains already under strain from geopolitical tensions and logistical bottlenecks, the ever-changing tariff policies have increased uncertainty and operational costs for businesses across industries.
—Rohit Arora, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Already baseball is straining to accommodate those pitchers whose elbows, shoulders or other body parts have failed under the strain of throwing balls at such high velocities.
—Bruce Schoenfeld Robert Fass Tanya Pérez Brian St. Pierre, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for under (a/the) strain
Cite this Entry
“Under (a/the) strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%20%28a%2Fthe%29%20strain. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share