Synonyms of straits

straits

noun

plural of strait

as in distress

a state of great suffering of body or mind

in great straits over the loss of her mother's cherished necklace

Synonyms & Similar Words

• distress
• anguish
• agony
• pain
• sorrow
• misery
• sadness
• tribulation
• woe
• excruciation
• torment
• hurt
• torture
• rack
• travail
• affliction
• hardship
• discomfort
• cross
• emergency
• crucible
• unhappiness
• heartbreak
• heartache
• danger
• jeopardy
• difficulty
• ache
• joylessness
• pang
• trial
• pinch
• soreness
• trouble
• asperity
• rigor
• stitch
• twinge
• throe
• smarting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• relief
• consolation
• comfort
• solace
• ease
• security
• alleviation
• peace
• assuagement
• well-being

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun straits differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of straits are contingency, crisis, emergency, exigency, juncture, pinch, and strait. While all these words mean "a critical or crucial time or state of affairs," strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

in dire straits

When is contingency a more appropriate choice than straits?

The synonyms contingency and straits are sometimes interchangeable, but contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

contingency plans

In what contexts can crisis take the place of straits?

The meanings of crisis and straits largely overlap; however, crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.

a crisis of confidence

When is it sensible to use emergency instead of straits?

In some situations, the words emergency and straits are roughly equivalent. However, emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies

When might exigency be a better fit than straits?

While in some cases nearly identical to straits, exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

provide for exigencies

When can juncture be used instead of straits?

Although the words juncture and straits have much in common, juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.

an important juncture in our country's history

How is pinch related to other words for straits?

Pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.

come through in a pinch

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of straits

The Chinese have a clear interest in having those straits open. —ABC News, 17 May 2026

The fear among Bungie fans is that this may come at the cost of Destiny 2, which is in dire straits and many believe there is little hope of recovery for the 11-year-old game that has been starved of investment. —Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026

Because of those dire fiscal straits, the 2026 session lacked the sweeping policy debates of prior years. —Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026

Murdaugh’s lawyers pointed out that trial will look a lot different, as the justices also ruled days of evidence at the murder trial about how Murdaugh stole from clients, many of them in dire straits, shouldn’t be allowed next time. —Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026

To be sure, many of its rinks were in dire financial straits when Black Bear purchased them and might not have stayed open otherwise. —Kenny Jacoby, USA Today, 7 May 2026

Fossil fuels tie every economy to the same fragile web of pipelines, tankers, and narrow straits. —Jennifer Granholm, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026

Trump reportedly defended the blockade and rejected an Iranian offer to open the straits and continue the ceasefire while resuming nuclear talks. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026

Iran’s economy was in dire straits before the conflict. —Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026