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
Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2025
The move puts further strain on the Japanese automaker's stock that has been under pressure from U.S. tariffs, declining sales and the transition to electric vehicles amid steep global competition, in particular from Chinese rivals.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2025
EW.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Russia could slip into a recession soon and is having its worst harvest in 17 years, further straining an economy that’s already seen energy revenue plunge.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strain
Noun
Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, a top AL Cy Young candidate, has a rotator cuff strain and will likely miss the rest of the season, team president of baseball operations Chris Young announced Tuesday.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2025
The move puts further strain on the Japanese automaker's stock that has been under pressure from U.S. tariffs, declining sales and the transition to electric vehicles amid steep global competition, in particular from Chinese rivals.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
Relations were strained but ultimately peaceful between the families until the wild and unpredictable hustler Baroness Eloise Wehrborn de Wagner-Bosquet (Ana de Armas) and her two lovers, Rudy Lorenz (Felix Kammerer) and Robert Phillipson (Toby Wallace), showed up.
—EW.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Russia could slip into a recession soon and is having its worst harvest in 17 years, further straining an economy that’s already seen energy revenue plunge.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strain
Verb
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Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.—
Stephan Rabimov,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
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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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While these tools are typically applied for the initial candidate screening, these systems can filter out even highly-qualified candidates if their profiles don’t meet the AI system’s particular criteria.—
Jon Stojan,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
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Complicating matters further, tariffs are starting to filter through into wholesale prices.—
Garth Friesen,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Most entrepreneurs struggle to differentiate themselves and attract their target audience.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
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Organizers also went door-to-door canvassing to households and people who were struggling to navigate an eviction process.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The former includes espresso, americano, cappucino, latte, chaga mocha, cold brew and drip coffee.—
Endia Fontanez,
AZCentral.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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Ground coffee requires equipment to brew and enjoy the beans, for example, a French press, Mokka pot, Chemex, or drip coffee maker.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Originally expected to be a three-month rental for filming, COVID-19 delays stretched the family’s time away from home to around 11 months.—
Brendel Clark,
Freep.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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Finally, the 17th is a 220-yard carry over a large pond to a massive, undulating green that can stretch to 250 yards, with brutal slopes guarding back pins.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Getty Images President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would permit 600,000 Chinese students to study at American universities, a sharp pivot from his administration’s earlier stance on tightening visa restrictions for this student cohort.—
Anna Esaki-Smith,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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At the same time, global shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic to the Ukraine war have tightened the fiscal chokehold.—
Mohamed Nasheed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Some now label the current environment, The Great Stay or The Big Stay, a sharp contrast with The Great Resignation during the pandemic. Benefits and risks of job hugging and ‘The Great Stay’ For decades, effective leaders have pursued low turnover and high employee engagement rates.—
John M. Bremen,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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Travis Kelce proceeded to hug Pinto and then chugged a beer onstage before receiving the keepsake.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
The Enquirer,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But rural Afghanistan’s homes are often made from mud and stone, and are easily damaged: Several villages were completely destroyed, officials said.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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Ataxia is often a symptom of conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, brain injuries and Parkinson's disease, in which the cerebellum region of the brain is damaged or degraded.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strain. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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