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
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
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Mocktails, juices, a self-serve soda station, specialty coffees, and filtered water stations round out the options.—
Paul Rubio,
AFAR Media,
23 June 2025
-
Thoughtfully human moments are filtered through surrealist imagery and ventriloquist dolls.—
Hayes Madsen,
Rolling Stone,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
On offense, the Red Sox have predictably struggled without Devers’ bat in the lineup.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
-
If the mention of Luxembourg conjures visions of banks, European institutions and a vague whiff of royalty, most people struggle to place the tiny country on a map.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
But a special energy crackles in the grandstands when a hitter who drips with danger steps to the plate.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
-
The liquid caught on his glasses and dripped into his eyes.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
13 June 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
-
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
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Many in Iran and abroad now fear the country’s leadership – its pride and defenses wounded – may tighten its grip at home while adopting a much more hawkish stance in both domestic and foreign policy.—
Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN Money,
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
-
Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2025
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strain. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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