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

Saudi crude oil and refined petroleum product exports are also hindered by attacks on shipping through the Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb straits. — Amy Myers Jaffe, The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2026

Enbridge wants to bury the pipeline in a tunnel under the straits. — Jeffrey Collins, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026

The world has three straits under simultaneous pressure for the first time in memory. — Frank Ahrens, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Trump has said that one of his reasons for taking over the Kennedy Center was due to its dire financial straits, but when asked about that assessment Tuesday, Folds said that was not the case. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026

At the same time, England found itself in desperate straits with both Alex Coles and Jack van Poortvliet in the bin for deliberate knock-ons. — ABC News, 18 July 2026

Not long ago, the shop was overrun by crowds but in dire financial straits. — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026

When the United States signed the MOU with Iran just a few weeks ago, there was one item, just one thing, that the Iranians had to fulfill, and that was keeping the straits open. — CBS News, 12 July 2026

But while tech giants like Apple and Microsoft, which both announced price hikes this week, have a hefty cash cushion, supply chain leverage and customers numbering in the millions or billions, a much wider swath of businesses face potentially dire straits. — Kif Leswing, CNBC, 27 June 2026