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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of strain
Charna Flam, People.com, 26 June 2025
Anthony Davis, the main piece in Dallas’ return for Doncic, suffered an adductor strain in his first game after the trade, while Kyrie Irving, who became the Mavs’ primary point guard, suffered a torn ACL.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025
Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 24 June 2025
Some locals in Venice, which has dealt with overtourism that has strained the city’s infrastructure and services for years, have staged protests over concerns the wedding’s scale will worsen some of the issues created by excessive tourist crowds.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for strain
Noun
That news came just days after a separate source told PEOPLE that Bloom and Perry had experienced strain in their relationship amid the release of her latest album 143.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 26 June 2025
Anthony Davis, the main piece in Dallas’ return for Doncic, suffered an adductor strain in his first game after the trade, while Kyrie Irving, who became the Mavs’ primary point guard, suffered a torn ACL.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025
Verb
And for those who lack it—or who want to minimize their bill and strain on the power grid—there are other ways to help keep a home relatively cool.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 24 June 2025
Some locals in Venice, which has dealt with overtourism that has strained the city’s infrastructure and services for years, have staged protests over concerns the wedding’s scale will worsen some of the issues created by excessive tourist crowds.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for strain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strain
Verb
-
Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.—
Stephan Rabimov,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
-
The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.—
Kelly Allen,
House Beautiful,
10 Feb. 2023
Verb
-
Then, just a few days before the first batch of players were due to report for pre-season training, the first reports started to filter through that something terrible had happened, more than 1,000 miles away, in the middle of the night.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
4 July 2025
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Lessons from the Ukrainian battlefields have even filtered down into their training.—
James Brooks,
Los Angeles Times,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
Though several Democrats are starting to make moves toward 2028, liberals have struggled with the lack of a main character to match Trump's political moxie the way then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi did in his first term.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
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However, San Jose has struggled to keep pace, with the city failing to see a single construction start last year for market-rate multi-family developments over 20 units, making the Pleasant Hills project a potential bonus should it be constructed.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
This way, your brush can drip dry into your toilet.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
5 July 2025
-
Alternative to drip irrigation: If drip irrigation isn’t an option, use a soaker hose, which releases water slowly along its length, allowing for deeper water penetration and less waste.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
In short, four prominent celestial objects — the moon, a bright planet and two bright stars — stretched out across a little more than a dozen degrees of the west-northwest sky.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
24 June 2025
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Focused on beginner-friendly culinary techniques, Max teaches readers how to make infused butter, oil and milk, and how to stretch flower effectively.—
Javier Hasse,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
Last year, the Department of the Interior tightened their requirements for investigating safety reports.—
Laken Brooks,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
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The Trump Card would also arrive as many countries once favored by the wealthy — including Spain, Portugal and Italy — are tightening their investment-visa programs amid populist opposition and political backlash.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Guardiola has always traditionally asked for his two wingers to provide the width for the team but that started to change at times last season, with the full-backs hugging the touchline.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
30 June 2025
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Aaron Paul and pal, Chef Michael Mina, hug it out at the one-year anniversary of Bourbon Steak in New York.—
Grace Harrington,
People.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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But opponents contend that industrial animal agriculture actually jeopardizes food security, by damaging local ecosystems, undermining traditional agricultural practices, and intensifying climate harms.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Don't use harsh cleaners, which can damage the grates.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strain. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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