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
About eight in 10 respondents said gas prices are straining their household budgets, and 63% blame Trump for that increase given the war with Iran.
—
Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 9 May 2026
The Amalfi Coast draws millions of tourists each year — and the surge is now straining the region.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
The oil bottleneck has driven up the price of crude, straining the state's supply chain.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 6 May 2026
If your summer vacation budget is straining under inflated gas prices and airfare, these deals may provide relief.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 6 May 2026
The lack of regulations placed on these toxic supplements leads many teens to use these products with no idea of the risks, resulting in insomnia, contributing to depression and mood swings, and straining the liver and kidneys, which could lead to further damage.
—Jad Abdel Nour, Hartford Courant, 4 May 2026
While the spike is straining household budgets for commuters, boaters say marine fuel prices rise even faster.
—Hannah McIlree, CBS News, 4 May 2026
This pause would provide the necessary space to assess the state’s financial position without further straining resources.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
The crisis is straining already struggling economies across Africa.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 9 May 2026
The Amalfi Coast draws millions of tourists each year — and the surge is now straining the region.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
The oil bottleneck has driven up the price of crude, straining the state's supply chain.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 6 May 2026
If your summer vacation budget is straining under inflated gas prices and airfare, these deals may provide relief.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 6 May 2026
The lack of regulations placed on these toxic supplements leads many teens to use these products with no idea of the risks, resulting in insomnia, contributing to depression and mood swings, and straining the liver and kidneys, which could lead to further damage.
—Jad Abdel Nour, Hartford Courant, 4 May 2026
While the spike is straining household budgets for commuters, boaters say marine fuel prices rise even faster.
—Hannah McIlree, CBS News, 4 May 2026
This pause would provide the necessary space to assess the state’s financial position without further straining resources.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
The crisis is straining already struggling economies across Africa.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straining
Verb
-
The same numbers powering that rally show capital pulling further ahead of labor.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
10 May 2026
-
The digital twin created for one of Rajasthan’s largest state utilities mapped 5 million grid assets—poles, lines, transformers, and network infrastructure—by pulling together feeder, meter, and billing data previously stored in separate silos.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
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The finding helps explain how the brains of people with typical hearing are able to solve the cocktail party problem by selecting one voice to amplify while filtering out others.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
14 May 2026
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After Wednesday's high of 91 at DFW, highs are expected around 92 Thursday afternoon, with partly to mostly sunny skies and more high clouds filtering in compared to Wednesday.—
Nelly Carreño,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
At the time, the group had around two dozen employees and was struggling for financial stability.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
The key will be to continue building off the encouraging start, especially after struggling with his command in Colorado last week.—
Jesús Cano,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The fashion is already as glittering as ever, with jury member Demi Moore, along with fellow actors Jane Fonda and Maika Monroe all arriving for opening night dripping in sequins.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
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Eating a cold slice of cantaloupe over a kitchen sink, its juices dripping down your forearms, is one of summer’s greatest pleasures.—
Janet McCracken,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a 700-mile fault stretching from Northern California to British Columbia and separates the Juan de Fuca and North America tectonic plates, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN).—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
-
Rai said the additional five years, stretching the patent from 2026 to 2031, likely stem from the Hatch-Waxman Act, a 1984 law that allows drugmakers to extend patents by up to five years to make up for time lost moving their drug through clinical trials and the FDA approval process.—
Berkeley Lovelace Jr,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
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But while consumers are showing signs of tightening their purse strings , that doesn’t mean the company’s bottom line is likely to come under considerable pressure, according to Citi’s Zaccone.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
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House Bill 837 cut the statute of limitations for general negligence claims from four years to two, tightening the window to take action.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Sitting just to the left of the net with American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck still hugging the opposite post, MacKinnon sailed a wrist shot just wide of the pipes.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
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Goodell had some fun onstage, hugging Buck in the increasingly aggressive way that he has been known to hug players at the draft.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Imagine a place of employment where everyone in the building is laboring to live out their childhood dream.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
10 May 2026
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Just three had received fewer innings per game from their starters, increasing the burden on a bullpen laboring under the strain.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straining. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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