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
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Recent Examples of strained
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
28 June 2026
Witt returned to action after missing six games with a strained right knee and went 1 for 3 as the Royals’ designated hitter.
—
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2026
ABC News,
26 June 2026
Strip away all the context — the current pair of controversies and all the losing that preceded them, all of which has strained the credibility of their organizational leadership on so many levels — and the Giants treated their fans to an entertaining game at Third and King.
—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
Adjective
During a visitation Friday, some attendees spoke of strained relationships with the town’s police force, which has become embroiled in recent years by accusations of over-policing.
—
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
28 June 2026
Witt returned to action after missing six games with a strained right knee and went 1 for 3 as the Royals’ designated hitter.
—
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2026
Verb
Rattled by Russia’s war in Ukraine and strained trans-Atlantic ties, European governments are reducing dependence on foreign technology.
—
ABC News,
26 June 2026
Strip away all the context — the current pair of controversies and all the losing that preceded them, all of which has strained the credibility of their organizational leadership on so many levels — and the Giants treated their fans to an entertaining game at Third and King.
—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strained
Adjective
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On Thursday, Gary Police Department personnel visited campers to teach about crime scene investigation and create a mock crime scene for students to solve.
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An 11-year-old Dexter Sol Ansell is peering into his Zoom camera, hands pressed to his cheeks and mouth wide open in mock shock.
Verb
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After the network successfully pulled together a motley crew of Real Housewives offspring and their Manhattan socialite friends last year, the gang is back for a second season in the city.
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Arraez pulled a 1-1 curveball from the Athletics’ Aaron Civale off the top of his right foot and collapsed to the ground in pain.
Verb
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Most of it gets filtered out without a second thought, and our brains are wired to ignore what feels predictable or irrelevant.
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The byproducts of this process—such as ammonia—must be filtered out and excreted by the kidneys.
Verb
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On the same pitch earlier, South Africa labored past Bangladesh by four wickets and waited for India's fate.
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England impressed in an exciting 4-2 win over historic overperformers Croatia while another pre-tournament favorite, Portugal, labored to a 1-1 draw with DR Congo.
Verb
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Blood dripped from his head; his father and daughter had various injuries.
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During a session, the molecule is mixed with saline and dripped into a vein over one to four hours.
Verb
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Utah's state forester, Jamie Barnes, told reporters that fires across the state this season had been moving in ways that had stretched Utah's firefighting capacity to its limits, with new fires beginning closer to populated areas than in previous years.
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Minnesota led 28-16 after the first quarter, then stretched the lead to 45-29 at halftime after holding Dallas to 11-for-37 shooting with eight turnovers before the break.
Verb
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Interest rates rose, supply chains tightened, equipment costs increased, and project economics deteriorated.
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Varsho tightened the score an inning later with his home run off Trent Thornton.
Verb
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In the selfie video, Valentina grinned into the camera wearing a gold choker and gold hoops as her mother hugged her from behind.
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At the defense table that day, Broadwater, wearing a gray pinstripe suit, choked back sobs and hugged his lawyers.
Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strained. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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