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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Gretchen Butwid, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
As emotional resources shrink, relationships feel the strain.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 10 Feb. 2026
Vladimir Isachenkov, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Eddie Paris, a Cuban-American who arrived at Miami International Airport after visiting family on the island, said everyday life in Cuba is becoming increasingly strained.
—Abby Dodge, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strain
Noun
After a short hospital stay, Guillen recovered physically, but the remaining emotional and financial strains have forced Blue Oak RV Park — and likely its adjoining restaurant — to close permanently.
—Gretchen Butwid, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
As emotional resources shrink, relationships feel the strain.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
The link was suspended in 2021 as relations grew increasingly strained before Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
—Vladimir Isachenkov, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Eddie Paris, a Cuban-American who arrived at Miami International Airport after visiting family on the island, said everyday life in Cuba is becoming increasingly strained.
—Abby Dodge, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strain
Verb
-
But looming is the question of whether the federal immigration officers who pulled the triggers in both cases actually broke the law, a question that will come down to complicated issues that are much harder to define than the outrage that prompted calls for accountability.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Morato also failed to connect with a golden opportunity to pull a goal back, shortly before Lorenzo Lucca finally did.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
If any part of that is uncertain — weak GPS data, offshore photos, older images — the result gets filtered out.—
Ken Colburn,
AZCentral.com,
8 Feb. 2026
-
But it’s filtered through her sensibility, which is contemporary.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Engineers have struggled to close the reaction gap between human perception and machine processing without sacrificing accuracy.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
-
De Meo was recruited from the auto industry, and his experience included turning around the struggling automaker Renault at the start of the decade.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The necklace seems to almost drip with luxury, just like the sweating walls inside Cathy’s abode (no spoilers here, though).—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Ho’s voice dripped with disappointment at the fact.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Most people at the meeting, held over Microsoft Teams, expressed excitement at the potential for conservation in an area stretching from Will Rogers State Beach to Torrance, plus 200 yards inland.—
Susanne Rust
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Set the scene Arriving at Four Seasons Costa Palmas feels like driving toward a kasbah in Morocco—miles of stark desert stretch out on either side before the landscape suddenly opens to an oasis on the edge of the Sea of Cortez.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
However, Zelenskyy, backed by European leaders and some members of Congress, has insisted that the sanctions regime against Russia must instead be tightened to starve the Russian war machine of revenue and Western technological components.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Austin Independent School District has tightened its rules for student protests, outlining new limits on staff involvement and clarifying law enforcement’s role when demonstrations move off campus.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When the winning score was announced Cizeron hugged his coach and covered his face while crying.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The longer horizon-hugging bath gives those warm hues more time to develop and persist across a broader swath of sky.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In some cases, UNIFIL vehicles were damaged.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
-
During media interviews after Sunday’s win, Johnson revealed that her gold medal was already damaged.—
Rachel Roberts,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strain. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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