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
Relevance
2
as in filtering
to pass through a filter
better strain that coffee thoroughly to get all the grounds out
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
6
as in tightening
to draw tight
the dog strained its leash trying to get to the cat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of straining
The 2026 World Cup is straining public services in 16 host cities with unprecedented crowd surges and emergency demands, including a 350% spike in calls, many from non-English speakers.
—
Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
Problem properties can create economic and fiscal challenges, including depressing neighboring property values, straining fire and police resources and increasing the risk of arson and violent crime.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026
Instead, discussions to end the war are straining relations between the two leaders.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
In the constituency’s main town of Ashton-in-Makerfield, 200 miles (320 kilometers) northwest of London, some voters echo Reform claims that recent arrivals are straining housing and public services.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
Either way, the machine is straining.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 June 2026
At a moment when international cooperation is essential to controlling outbreaks, policies that risk straining those relationships may have consequences that extend far beyond the care of a small number of patients.
—Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 5 June 2026
Avoid straining when urinating.
—Angela Ryan Lee, Verywell Health, 3 June 2026
Pet dumping is becoming a major problem in Connecticut, straining animal control officers while shelters are reaching full capacity.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026
Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
Problem properties can create economic and fiscal challenges, including depressing neighboring property values, straining fire and police resources and increasing the risk of arson and violent crime.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026
Instead, discussions to end the war are straining relations between the two leaders.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
In the constituency’s main town of Ashton-in-Makerfield, 200 miles (320 kilometers) northwest of London, some voters echo Reform claims that recent arrivals are straining housing and public services.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
Either way, the machine is straining.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 June 2026
At a moment when international cooperation is essential to controlling outbreaks, policies that risk straining those relationships may have consequences that extend far beyond the care of a small number of patients.
—Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 5 June 2026
Avoid straining when urinating.
—Angela Ryan Lee, Verywell Health, 3 June 2026
Pet dumping is becoming a major problem in Connecticut, straining animal control officers while shelters are reaching full capacity.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straining
Verb
-
The beast screamed and flew away, pulling an attached anchor into the water.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
-
Launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts, Swift remains scientifically valuable, but atmospheric drag has been pulling it dangerously close to Earth.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
Because a baby’s eyes are still developing, the lenses inside of them are not as effective as an adult’s at filtering out UV rays.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
-
Fiorio gave no indication that the manual gearbox has any hope of filtering down through Maserati’s production lineup.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
The two candidates also are offering differing solutions for the country’s struggling health system, ballooning public debt and entrenched corruption.—
Regina Garcia Cano,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
-
The two candidates also are offering differing solutions for the country's struggling health system, ballooning public debt and entrenched corruption.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
That was the background; in the foreground were about a dozen ancient live-oak trees dripping with Spanish moss.—
Fred A. Bernstein,
Architectural Digest,
16 June 2026
-
Zendaya stunned in an LBD dripping with fringe during her first red carpet with Tom Holland since 2021.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Data centers are contained in buildings stretching as far as a football field, housing thousands of continually running machines.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 June 2026
-
But the Los Angeles pianist still loves stretching out with a small combo.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Social media companies have already put in place child safety measures, such as new algorithms, in response to tightening regulations, including by Britain.—
Paul Sandle,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
-
The Bank of Japan raised rates to their highest level in more than 30 years, one of a string of major central banks tightening monetary policy in part because the Iran war is fueling inflation risks worldwide.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
The train continues south to Christchurch, hugging the craggy coast.—
Steve Madgwick,
Travel + Leisure,
18 June 2026
-
His psychedelic paintings, sometimes painted in the style of Russian Orthodox icons, often depicted Putin with a bovine nose or hugging pigs.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
The woodcut birth figures contained in these books were not images drawn from observation—pregnant cadavers for anatomical drawing were hard to come by—but were instead abstracted diagrams of the chaotic diversity of laboring bodies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
-
Another laboring woman with the same image on her phone.—
Karli Swenson,
The Conversation,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straining. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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