as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
I took the complaint manager's strained smile to mean I wasn't a welcome sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pulled
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure
in order to lift something heavy, squat down and lift with your legs, or you'll strain your back
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in filtered
to pass through a filter
better strain that coffee thoroughly to get all the grounds out
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in labored
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 dripped
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 stretched
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 hugged
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 strained
David Ingram, NBC news, 8 June 2026
Wage inflation ticked down, a positive only in that the consumer feeling a bit more strained acts as a natural counterbalance to inflation.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 7 June 2026
Hallie Golden, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Supporters of the initiative dislike an influx of expatriates from the neighboring European Union, and say Swiss infrastructure, housing, social programs, natural resources and way of life have been strained under demographic growth.
—Jamey Keaten, Fortune, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
Adjective
But the relationship between OpenAI and Apple has become strained, with the ChatGPT creator believing that the integration failed to meet expectations and considering legal action, Bloomberg reported last month.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 8 June 2026
Wage inflation ticked down, a positive only in that the consumer feeling a bit more strained acts as a natural counterbalance to inflation.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 7 June 2026
Verb
Parts of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic also strained under high heat and humidity.
—Hallie Golden, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Supporters of the initiative dislike an influx of expatriates from the neighboring European Union, and say Swiss infrastructure, housing, social programs, natural resources and way of life have been strained under demographic growth.
—Jamey Keaten, Fortune, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strained
Adjective
-
Public health officials have been preparing for months, said Philadelphia’s Raval-Nelson, including with mock emergency drills and communications with counterparts around the country.—
Lauran Neergaard,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
Public health officials have been preparing for months, said Philadelphia’s Raval-Nelson, including with mock emergency drills and communications with counterparts around the country.—
Lauren Neergaard,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Detmers was still 15 pitches shy of his season-high when Suzuki pulled him.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
11 June 2026
-
The righty was later pulled after allowing singles to the first two batters of the fifth inning, both of whom later scored and counted against Morris’ statline.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The figures capture economic activity before the full impact of the Middle East energy shock, triggered by the US-Iran conflict, filtered through, and the interest rate hike earlier this month that would further erode consumer spending.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
10 June 2026
-
The companies that were financially strong were then filtered by those that performed well on industry impact in their respective categories.—
TIME Staff,
Time,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Stephen Kolek labored through the first three innings for Kansas City, delivering 55 pitches and allowing six baserunners, but stranded four.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
-
Introduced in the 1970s, when the country labored under a military dictatorship, the policy sought to impose a ‘Brazil-first’ approach to new developments in computing and data-processing.—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The dress’s mermaid-esque skirt dripped in feathers all the way down.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
9 June 2026
-
Also featured on the summer menu will be a new Unicorn Cake Pop, featuring vanilla cake mixed with confetti sprinkles, dripped in white chocolate icing and decorated with a unicorn face.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
And renters who aren’t stretched to the breaking point every month don’t skip out on rent, don’t bounce from apartment to apartment, and don’t disappear the moment the economy hiccups.—
Ivan Barratt,
Fortune,
14 June 2026
-
But the short stay stretched into a month, and the once-polite guest turned rude, demanding and increasingly hostile, according to Vanity Fair.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
In April, American Airlines tightened restrictions on portable chargers that passengers can bring on flights.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
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While attempts to recycle gangue date back to the 1950s, the economic incentive shifted after 2010 as natural sand supplies tightened and Beijing locked in its national carbon targets.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The Heaven’s 27 parents hugged and talked easily with one another, but their tired eyes always seemed a breath away from tears.—
Karen Valby,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
-
The garment hugged her midsection in before fluttering out over her hips.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strained. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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