as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
I took the complaint manager's strained smile to mean I wasn't a welcome sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pulled
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure
in order to lift something heavy, squat down and lift with your legs, or you'll strain your back
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in filtered
to pass through a filter
better strain that coffee thoroughly to get all the grounds out
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in labored
to devote serious and sustained effort
the whole department is straining to complete the project before the deadline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in dripped
to flow forth slowly through small openings
put the cooked fruit in a cheesecloth bag and let the juice strain into a pan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in stretched
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress
strained her memory but the name just wouldn't come to her
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
7
as in hugged
to put one's arms around and press tightly
the woman tenderly strained to her breast the child that she had long ago given up for dead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of strained
CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Caissie was a late addition to Friday’s lineup after first baseman Chris Morel was scratched because of a strained oblique.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
If they are strained by a medical emergency, security incident or breakdown in crowd flow, attention shifts immediately to the infrastructure underneath it.
—Adam Annaccone, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
Adjective
Caissie was a late addition to Friday's lineup after first baseman Chris Morel was scratched because of a strained oblique.
—CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Caissie was a late addition to Friday’s lineup after first baseman Chris Morel was scratched because of a strained oblique.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
But Xi sent them all home without making significant concessions on the matters that have strained their relations, including concerns over Beijing’s support for Russian President Vladimir Putin or China’s unfair trade practices that threaten European industry, among other contentious matters.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
If they are strained by a medical emergency, security incident or breakdown in crowd flow, attention shifts immediately to the infrastructure underneath it.
—Adam Annaccone, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strained
Adjective
-
The idea of producing multiple mock drafts is to cover multiple possibilities, and with the ninth overall selection in the NFL Draft, there are several for the Chiefs.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
To see how the board has changed over time, check out Chris Perkins’ initial mock draft, David Furones’ post-combine mock and Perkins’ post-Waddle trade mock.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The North Huntingdon Township Police Department said the homeowner pulled a gun on the utility worker, who was sent to shut off service, and chased him away from his home on Water Street in Ardara.—
Erika Stanish,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
When Tree City Juice & Smoothie Cafe pulled the plug on its two brick-and-mortar restaurants last year, the closures hit home for Bethany Anderson.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Before the water reaches the membrane, the seawater is typically filtered to remove debris and microorganisms that could clog equipment.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Jason Pack, a former FBI analyst, said the story of the evidence gathered in the case must be filtered through the lens of the grieving Gracey family.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Solly Boussidan,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Senators already labored for weeks to try to find agreement on Democrats’ demand that any funding for the Department of Homeland Security come with restrictions on how federal immigration agents conduct enforcement.—
Joey Cappelletti,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Lamarck surely labored over these Romantic effusions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Essential Drip Glossy Balm in the shade skinny dripped and the brand's Mélange à Trois Blush & Highlight Stick in the shade sweet talker to apply her look in the car.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Pok took a moment to finger-comb out his shoulder-length locs; water dripped onto his thighs and the edge of his bed.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
My parents took me on my first flight at three months old and never stopped, raising me in a world that stretched far beyond home.—
Shayla Martin,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The other day, a squad of dancers stretched and limbered up in the halls as, outside, the lions stayed still.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These rules had been tightened since 2020, when relations soured following a deadly border skirmish in the Galwan Valley, where several Indian and Chinese soldiers died.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
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Adrian Kempe scored the only goal of the shootout in the second round, and the Los Angeles Kings tightened the Western Conference playoff race with a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Monday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After naming the crater Carroll, the four astronauts hugged while shedding tears and a moment of silence was observed in NASA Mission Control in Houston.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Pogačar and van der Poel were mobbed by photographers and warmly hugged each other after the finish.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strained. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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