1
as in lineages
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
descended from a strain of Irish seafarers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in melodies
a rhythmic series of musical tones arranged to give a pleasing effect
the strain of an old Irish ballad rose up from the revelers downstairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in splashes
a very small amount
detected a strain of panic in her voice when she asked if the substance was poisonous
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in types
a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common
writes mystery novels of a more sophisticated strain
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in stresses
the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's time
the family's constant moving is putting a real strain on the children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pulls
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 filters
to pass through a filter
better strain that coffee thoroughly to get all the grounds out
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in struggles
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 drips
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 stretches
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 hugs
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 strains
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Now, that practice appears to be one of the primary strains on the jail.
—Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
Using key indicators for medicinal value and rubber yield, scientists screened more than 50 elite Duzhong germplasms from across China and ran a systematic breeding programme, ultimately producing strains adapted to arid, desert conditions.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Jan. 2026
This year’s flu vaccine protects against two A strains and one B strain, so the shots should offer some protection against severe illness and hospitalization.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
During the last shutdown, staffing strains forced flight reductions at dozens of airports, triggering widespread delays and cancellations.
—Nik Popli, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
The hospital has seen similar strains in the past, with more charity care and uninsured patients and fewer Medicaid patients in the past, plus less Medicaid reimbursement since the pandemic years.
—Tara Molina, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Hearing the strains of Williams’ transcendent composition is a reminder of Felder’s own desires for flight, allowing audiences around the world to be transported by his grand piano, some magnificent music and enthralling stories.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
Georgia, like much of the country, is facing a particularly challenging flu season driven by one of this year’s dominant strains.
—Morayo Ogunbayo, AJC.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
The film stars Imogen Poots as a young Yuknavitch, who strains to escape an abusive upbringing through competitive swimming in college, all the while battling addiction and discovering a knack for writing.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Jan. 2026
Rocky strains to convey his evolution from scrapping on the streets of Harlem to luxuriating in wealthy, starstruck domestic bliss.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2026
The tariff ultimatum marks a drastic escalation that strains NATO, the security alliance binding Europe and North America since 1949.
—Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
The war in Ukraine exposes these trans-Atlantic strains most acutely.
—Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
Weinstein's attorneys are asking him to discard the conviction or, at least, conduct a hearing about the jury strains.
—CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Fire access, water, traffic, parks and open space are treated like inconveniences, even as existing infrastructure already strains to keep up.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
By splicing pop songs and familiar meme formats into cruel detainment footage, ICE strains to attract a younger demographic, hoping to convince people that the agency is a vibrant—and trollishly funny—organization engaged in the noble work of putting away bad guys.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
This offering from Now contains 10 probiotic strains that have been identified and verified to naturally colonize the human GI tract.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Now, that practice appears to be one of the primary strains on the jail.
—Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
Using key indicators for medicinal value and rubber yield, scientists screened more than 50 elite Duzhong germplasms from across China and ran a systematic breeding programme, ultimately producing strains adapted to arid, desert conditions.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Jan. 2026
This year’s flu vaccine protects against two A strains and one B strain, so the shots should offer some protection against severe illness and hospitalization.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
During the last shutdown, staffing strains forced flight reductions at dozens of airports, triggering widespread delays and cancellations.
—Nik Popli, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
The hospital has seen similar strains in the past, with more charity care and uninsured patients and fewer Medicaid patients in the past, plus less Medicaid reimbursement since the pandemic years.
—Tara Molina, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Hearing the strains of Williams’ transcendent composition is a reminder of Felder’s own desires for flight, allowing audiences around the world to be transported by his grand piano, some magnificent music and enthralling stories.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
Georgia, like much of the country, is facing a particularly challenging flu season driven by one of this year’s dominant strains.
—Morayo Ogunbayo, AJC.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
In his teens and early 20s, a variety of knocks and muscle strains — plus a variety of coaches with fluctuating opinions of him — complicated his development.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
The film stars Imogen Poots as a young Yuknavitch, who strains to escape an abusive upbringing through competitive swimming in college, all the while battling addiction and discovering a knack for writing.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Jan. 2026
Rocky strains to convey his evolution from scrapping on the streets of Harlem to luxuriating in wealthy, starstruck domestic bliss.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2026
The tariff ultimatum marks a drastic escalation that strains NATO, the security alliance binding Europe and North America since 1949.
—Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
The war in Ukraine exposes these trans-Atlantic strains most acutely.
—Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
Weinstein's attorneys are asking him to discard the conviction or, at least, conduct a hearing about the jury strains.
—CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Fire access, water, traffic, parks and open space are treated like inconveniences, even as existing infrastructure already strains to keep up.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
By splicing pop songs and familiar meme formats into cruel detainment footage, ICE strains to attract a younger demographic, hoping to convince people that the agency is a vibrant—and trollishly funny—organization engaged in the noble work of putting away bad guys.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strains
Verb
-
Candid and heartfelt, this memoir pulls back the curtain on elite skating, family and the relentless pursuit of excellence.—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
-
After a terrible week, technology was leading Friday’s market higher — even as Amazon , technically in the consumer discretionary bucket, pulls back after earnings.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The beanie mimics sounds in the womb and filters out high-frequency noises that are constant inside a hospital, which research has shown can also be harmful.—
Stephanie Stahl,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Social media users remember it as an era of low-stakes posting, when Valencia filters, flower-crown Snapchat selfies, and #ThrowbackThursday content thrived without strategy decks or performance anxiety.—
Katie Salcius,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As luxury struggles to woo a young generation of consumers who have not yet accumulated enough wealth to drop five figures on a handbag, the cohort of twentysomethings has instead become enamored with more affordable fitness activities.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Karlic also struggles with strictly online classes, further limiting his options.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That last line drips with disdain and is incredibly effective.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
If the Canucks can make this losing count over the next few years and assemble a critical mass of talent with the sort of character and skill that drips off this young Canadiens side, then the organization has a chance to build something magical.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Organizers said 27 brands are represented at the show, which has a legacy that stretches back to 1902.—
Keith Laing,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The reach of the gym on Metropolitan Parkway, about halfway between the airport and downtown Atlanta, stretches far beyond its neighborhood.—
Ryan Dennis,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As their orbit tightens, the relativistic precession of the stars speeds up, while the planet’s precession slows down, because the stars act more like a single object from far away.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
-
An InStyle writer says the Tula Skin Care Spresso Energizing Eye Balm brightens and tightens the under eyes, and its cooling effect feels like a mini ice bath.—
Melony Forcier,
InStyle,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
They’re made with the brand’s signature four-way stretch fabric that hugs your body with a comfortable yet snug fit.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
-
If the system hugs the coast, a nor'easter will bring snow to coastal areas of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.—
Kenton Gewecke,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The meatpacking giant also charges workers when someone takes or damages their personal protective equipment and insists on a three-year agreement, the union said.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
-
To explore that possibility, researchers at University College London and Queen Square Analytics set out to look beyond symptoms and clinical labels and focus instead on the biological signals of how MS damages the brain.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strains. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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