1
as in lineage
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
3
as in shred
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 type
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 stress
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
2
3
as in to struggle
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 to drip
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 to stretch
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress
strained her memory but the name just wouldn't come to her
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6
7
as in to hug
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 strain
Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 20 July 2025
Matthews, in his first major league start since landing on the injured list with a shoulder strain in early June, gave up five runs in the loss.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 20 July 2025
Paolo Confino, Fortune, 18 July 2025
Compliance tools, such as worker status monitoring and algorithmic audits, require ongoing investment, which can strain smaller platforms and ultimately lead larger players to adjust their charging methods for gig workers.
—Jack Thorogood, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for strain
Noun
Ragans has a left rotator cuff strain and Lorenzen is dealing with a left oblique strain.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 20 July 2025
Matthews, in his first major league start since landing on the injured list with a shoulder strain in early June, gave up five runs in the loss.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 20 July 2025
Verb
Federal Reserve officials are having a hard time agreeing on what lies ahead for the U.S. economy in a time of unprecedented tariffs, a straining debt ceiling, and political upheaval.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 18 July 2025
Compliance tools, such as worker status monitoring and algorithmic audits, require ongoing investment, which can strain smaller platforms and ultimately lead larger players to adjust their charging methods for gig workers.
—Jack Thorogood, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for strain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strain
Verb
-
Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.—
Stephan Rabimov,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
-
The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.—
Kelly Allen,
House Beautiful,
10 Feb. 2023
Verb
-
Who ventures to filter innovation from novelty? Enter the curatorial studio.—
Ana María Caballero,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Much of it filters down from Black communities; much of it is used to trick content moderation filters; and much of it relies on an underlying comedy.—
Adam Aleksic,
People.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
The party of the president usually struggles in a midterm election like next year's race to replace Peters.—
M.L. Elrick,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
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But AmeriCorps officials have struggled in recent years to provide financial information to auditors and have acknowledged the need for reforms.—
Dan Horn,
The Enquirer,
23 July 2025
Verb
-
Time drips sideways in this fractured hourglass, and color spills like memory.—
Rance Collins,
IndieWire,
12 July 2025
-
Chandeliers drip from the ceilings, endless televisions of all sizes adorn the walls.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
In June, the average job search stretched to 23 weeks, or nearly six months.—
Julia Korn,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
The two most popular visitor areas were located on the east side of the canyon, but the canyon stretches miles to the west as well.—
Alexandra Hardle,
AZCentral.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
However, more countries are looking to tighten restrictions on who can get a passport, making citizenship a more urgent goal.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 July 2025
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The race is bound to tighten somewhat after the September preliminary election, when the field will be winnowed to just Kraft and Wu.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
22 July 2025
Verb
-
Mothers crying out loud for their children, and fathers hugging their children close to their chests.—
Troy Onyango,
Time,
24 July 2025
-
In this sweet, candid moment, Lopez hugs her babies while backstage on the Marry Me set.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
24 July 2025
Verb
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Anything that damages the trust between the vendor, Microsoft, and the user is as much a threat as the hackers themselves, in my never humble opinion.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strain. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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