Synonyms of straining

straining

verb

present participle of strain

1

as in pulling

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

• pulling
• damaging
• stretching
• bruising
• weakening
• hurting
• racking
• wrenching
• taxing
• tearing
• impairing
• fraying
• battering
• harming
• crippling
• wounding
• mutilating
• mangling
• laming

2

as in filtering

to pass through a filter

better strain that coffee thoroughly to get all the grounds out

Synonyms & Similar Words

• filtering
• screening
• percolating
• leaching

3

as in struggling

to devote serious and sustained effort

the whole department is straining to complete the project before the deadline

Synonyms & Similar Words

• struggling
• laboring
• striving
• working
• endeavoring
• trying
• tugging
• sweating
• toiling
• plowing
• humping
• hustling
• slaving
• plugging
• grubbing
• slogging
• digging (away)
• plodding
• drudging
• banging away
• pegging (away)
• travailing
• moiling
• fagging
• exerting
• sweating blood
• attacking
• beavering (away)
• applying (oneself)
• scratching
• buckling (down)
• hammering (away)
• exercising
• driving
• overworking
• essaying
• wading
• pitching in
• scrabbling
• trudging
• overexerting
• digging in
• grinding (out)
• knuckling down
• eking out
• putting out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slackening
• breaking
• easing (up)
• idling
• chilling
• resting
• hanging (around or out)
• shirking
• lounging
• letting up
• loafing
• bumming
• dallying
• relaxing
• lazing
• hacking (around)
• unwinding
• lolling
• hanging
• slacking (off)
• goofing (off)
• playing
• basking
• reposing
• trifling
• footling
• goldbricking
• dillydallying
• dabbling
• vegging out
• fooling around
• doodling
• messing around
• puttering (around)
• goofing (around)
• pottering (around)
• hanging about
• monkeying (around)
• fribbling

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• slackening
• breaking
• easing (up)
• idling
• chilling
• resting
• hanging (around or out)
• shirking
• lounging
• letting up
• loafing
• bumming
• dallying
• relaxing
• lazing
• hacking (around)
• unwinding
• lolling
• hanging
• slacking (off)
• goofing (off)
• playing
• basking
• reposing
• trifling
• footling
• goldbricking
• dillydallying
• dabbling
• vegging out
• fooling around
• doodling
• messing around
• puttering (around)
• goofing (around)
• pottering (around)
• hanging about
• monkeying (around)
• fribbling

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4

as in dripping

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

• dripping
• flowing
• seeping
• weeping
• bleeding
• sweating
• percolating
• oozing
• exuding
• transuding
• trickling
• emanating
• emitting
• dribbling
• springing
• giving off
• venting
• discharging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pouring
• streaming
• flooding
• surging
• gushing

• pouring
• streaming
• flooding
• surging
• gushing

5

as in stretching

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

• stretching
• trying
• pushing
• testing
• taxing
• bothering
• getting (to)
• annoying
• irritating
• pressuring
• demanding
• importuning
• pressing
• harassing
• exacting
• paining
• aggravating
• exasperating
• pestering
• grating
• agitating
• irking
• vexing
• hassling
• harrying
• riling
• spiting
• galling
• nettling
• gnawing (at)
• peeving

6

as in tightening

to draw tight

the dog strained its leash trying to get to the cat

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tightening
• tensing
• stretching
• tautening
• lengthening
• elongating
• extending
• constricting
• cinching

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• loosening
• relaxing
• slackening
• easing
• slacking

• loosening
• relaxing
• slackening
• easing
• slacking

7

as in hugging

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

• hugging
• clasping
• clinging
• cradling
• grasping
• grabbing
• crushing
• embracing
• holding
• wrapping
• enfolding
• bear-hugging
• clamping
• enclasping
• patting
• gripping
• enveloping
• encircling
• folding
• locking
• stroking
• twining
• snuggling
• entwining
• nuzzling
• nestling
• fondling
• bosoming
• petting
• embosoming
• cuddling
• enwinding