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
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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
Nicole F. Roberts, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Acuña was removed from the game, and an MRI on Wednesday showed the strain.
—CBS News, 11 June 2026
ABC News, 9 June 2026
Meanwhile, North Korea’s ties to Beijing have been strained by a virtual freeze in trade during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as by Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions, which China has long opposed.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for strain
Noun
This is due to several factors, including unmet mental health needs, access to firearms and prescription drugs, and societal strain.
—Nicole F. Roberts, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Acuña was removed from the game, and an MRI on Wednesday showed the strain.
—CBS News, 11 June 2026
Verb
The westward-looking Façade of the Passion is stark, its figures tormented, their bodies strained in angular poses.
—ABC News, 9 June 2026
Meanwhile, North Korea’s ties to Beijing have been strained by a virtual freeze in trade during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as by Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions, which China has long opposed.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for strain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strain
Noun
-
Surrounded by the Tongass National Forest, the city preserves the traditions of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples through towering cedar totem poles that tell stories of family lineage and legend.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
SecureBio can sequence a genome in five days, but the genetic analysis can reveal much more information, such as a virus’s variant or lineage.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
For Corinne Bailey Rae, lyrics and melodies can reveal new possibilities.—
Christopher A. Daniel,
AJC.com,
11 June 2026
-
Parsons went on to self-release multiple full-length soundtrack albums of ominous sci-fi pads, glitchy electronics, and lulling melodies before A24 announced the release of a feature-length film.—
Harry Thorfinn-George,
Pitchfork,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
The industry has been keeping a close eye on what Koosha and his producer Tom Rogers have been doing — namely, conjuring a movie out of thin air without a single shred of an actor, location, crew member or camera.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
-
Watching the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation rip Tom Skerritt’s character to shreds on live TV would make for extremely spicy viewing.—
Eric Berger & Lee Hutchinson,
ArsTechnica,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
More than 60 local, county and state law enforcement agencies in places where the games will be held recently completed a first-of-its-kind federal training program to help detect and deter the unauthorized presence of drones near World Cup sites and related fan events.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
-
At the main Pride Stage on Fifth Street, performers of all kinds will circulate throughout the weekend.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Measures to help reduce stress Yasunaga said the 70 million yen (approximately $437,000) project consists of four repairs, of which one is the installation of an air conditioner.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
Meal timing and the gut In the new research, the authors defined chronic physiological stress by participants’ composite allostatic load score — which involves eight cardiovascular, metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers, such as blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2026
-
In Istanbul, a corn vendor is pulling bigger crowds than some of the city’s monuments.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
The liver has many functions including producing bile and various proteins, storage of energy, metabolizing nutrients, and, perhaps most significantly, filtering toxins and wastes from the body.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
-
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,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The Primm family, owners of the land that includes three casino resorts and other businesses along the 15 Freeway, announced Tuesday a partnership intended to save the struggling state-line strip and hundreds of jobs.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
Those home-and-away supporters know how much England struggled with the heat during a camp last summer.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strain. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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