1
: done or produced with excessive effort
a strained smile
2
: pushed by antagonism near to open conflict
strained relations
Examples of strained in a Sentence
He made a strained attempt at being polite.
I took the complaint manager's strained smile to mean I wasn't a welcome sight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Stanton has been out since April 24 with a strained right calf and started taking live at-bats on the field Wednesday, though he was ruled out for New York’s upcoming trip.
—
Larry Fleisher, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
Stanton has been out since April 24 with a strained right calf and started taking live at-bats on the field Wednesday, though he was ruled out for New York's upcoming road trip.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
Castellanos developed a strained relationship with the Phillies in his final season, when his behavior — even more than his sagging production — became too much for the organization.
—CBS News, 3 June 2026
Imperial Valley is a health care desert, served by two financially strained hospitals.
—Daniela Flores, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
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Larry Fleisher, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
Stanton has been out since April 24 with a strained right calf and started taking live at-bats on the field Wednesday, though he was ruled out for New York's upcoming road trip.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
Castellanos developed a strained relationship with the Phillies in his final season, when his behavior — even more than his sagging production — became too much for the organization.
—CBS News, 3 June 2026
Imperial Valley is a health care desert, served by two financially strained hospitals.
—Daniela Flores, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strained. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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