1
as in lineage
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
descended from a strain of Irish seafarers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in shred
a very small amount
detected a strain of panic in her voice when she asked if the substance was poisonous
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in type
a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common
writes mystery novels of a more sophisticated strain
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in stress
the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's time
the family's constant moving is putting a real strain on the children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
3
as in to struggle
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 to drip
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 to stretch
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 to hug
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
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Recent Examples of strain
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026
For sake production, Isbell primarily grows the 100 year-old Yamada Nishiki variety, which is typically harvested at the same time as traditional strains of rice in Arkansas -- so between late August to mid-October, based on conditions.
—John Magsam, Arkansas Online, 2 June 2026
William Jones, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Trump’s support in the Colombian presidential campaign underscores the current tension between Washington and Bogota as relations between the countries have grown strained under Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for strain
Noun
Heritage strains tend to be grown with fewer pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, and some people who react poorly to modern wheat tolerate them better.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026
For sake production, Isbell primarily grows the 100 year-old Yamada Nishiki variety, which is typically harvested at the same time as traditional strains of rice in Arkansas -- so between late August to mid-October, based on conditions.
—John Magsam, Arkansas Online, 2 June 2026
Verb
Musicians compensate by changing angles or pushing brightness higher, which adds strain.
—William Jones, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Trump’s support in the Colombian presidential campaign underscores the current tension between Washington and Bogota as relations between the countries have grown strained under Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for strain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strain
Noun
-
Jones also further expounds on the vampire’s wretched lineage and mythology through flashbacks.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
-
There is a long lineage of artists turning their homes into artworks.—
Erika Landström,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
His expansive sonic palette includes soaring anthems, tender ballads, and hard-driving dance tracks with a focus on thumping bass and earworm melodies.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
26 May 2026
-
Obviously, there’s always a very strong melody, very strong hook.—
David Chiu,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Angie is made more complex inside a later version, who is bruised and angry, ready to rip any and everyone to shreds.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
The camera locks Henri in its sights, catching his every empty boast and complicit deed as Hitler’s Final Solution looms, and offering nary a shred of redemption or reassurance.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
In 1936, endocrinologist Hans Selye had published a landmark paper in Nature, describing how many different harms — toxins, injury, and cold temperature — can trigger the same biological stress response.—
Sara Talpos — Undark,
STAT,
1 June 2026
-
Simple stress relievers like stress balls and essential oil diffusers will help dad alleviate some of the day’s stressors.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Roberts pulled Sasaki with runners on first and second in the sixth.—
Liana Handler,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
-
Tovar ambushed Kilian’s first offering, pulling a two-run homer over the left-field fence to hand the Giants their fourth straight loss.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
There it is filtered and purified before being fed into the Reflecting Pool.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
-
Early research shows that filtering out content related to making biological weapons from AI training data can reduce how often the model responds with information that could be used for harm.—
Huo Jingnan,
NPR,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
As families struggle with rising costs, healthcare affordability has emerged as a defining issue heading into the midterms.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
-
The back-to-back deals offer one of the clearest signals yet that Abel is prepared to put Berkshire’s enormous balance sheet to work after years of criticism that the company had become too cautious and was struggling to find opportunities large enough to move the needle.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Also featured on the summer menu will be a new Unicorn Cake Pop, featuring vanilla cake mixed with confetti sprinkles, dripped in white chocolate icing and decorated with a unicorn face.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
-
Soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems make the most efficient use of water.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strain. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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