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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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of strain
Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 2 Feb. 2026
He’s expected to miss roughly a month with a right calf strain, according to his own diagnosis.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
That’s great news for the Oilers, whose secondary scoring was seriously strained by Hyman’s slower pace last season.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strain
Noun
Iran’s regime released staged images of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an attempt to show strength and boost a military under strain, according to opposition groups operating outside the country.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 2 Feb. 2026
He’s expected to miss roughly a month with a right calf strain, according to his own diagnosis.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Verb
County jail officials have said the ICE’s practice of moving detainees in and out of the jail is straining the facility’s capacity — but also out of their control.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
That’s great news for the Oilers, whose secondary scoring was seriously strained by Hyman’s slower pace last season.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strain
Verb
-
The Bulldogs pulled within 69-66 with just over nine minutes remaining, but the Aggies answered with back-to-back three-pointers from Ali Dibba and Jacari Lane to regain control.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Video shows the girl carefully pulling a coaster from the tower before the entire structure cascades downward in seconds, prompting audible reactions from spectators.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Vogue is committed to reporting and riffing on the global fashion conversation—always filtered through the lens of culture and what’s happening in the world at large.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The neighborhood/area Uptown Sedona sits just above L’Auberge, keeping guests sheltered from traffic and tourists, but construction noise from buildings along 89A can filter down to the rooms.—
Asonta Benetti,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As China struggles with a prolonged economic slump, and the US has emerged with the highest number of billionaires in the world, with over 900 (up from 813 in 2024), more splashy events in the country will follow.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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His promotion comes at a moment when streaming, film and sports media remain in flux, and big studios and networks are struggling to predict how audiences will be consuming media three years from now.—
Allie Canal,
NBC news,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The melter sits over a sewer line, idling while heating the snow to thirty-eight degrees, barely above freezing, and drips the water directly into a drain.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The Super Bowl always drips with intrigue, including the path plowed by teams that before the season were listed as 60-1 odds to get here.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Lithium, a soft metal necessary for the production of rechargeable batteries, is plentiful in the brine buried in the Smackover Formation, which stretches from east Texas through southern Arkansas and east to the Florida panhandle.—
DIDI TANG,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Republicans argue the region’s frustrations reflect years of structural failures under Cooper’s disaster management system, stretching back to earlier storms.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Denmark will also tighten controls on foreigners without legal residence, introduce a new anklet monitor for criminal foreigners, reopen an embassy in Syria and strengthen cooperation with authorities in Afghanistan.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The holy grail skin care find is formulated to firm and tighten your skin, improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Given Brazil's low latitude, Skov explained that the glow was most likely diffuse equatorial aurora penetrating through the South Atlantic Anomaly, rather than a SAR arc, which is more commonly found hugging the horizon.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Rami Essam Abu Jamea hugs his deceased daughter, one of two who were killed in an Israeli strike.—
Ammar Cheikh Omar,
NBC news,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Regarding the third issue, cracking indicates the spark plug is damaged beyond repair and must be replaced.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
1 Feb. 2026
-
His own home was seriously damaged in the fire, forcing him to live elsewhere for the past year, and his mother-in-law’s home was destroyed.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strain. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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