strained

1 of 2

adjective

ˈstrānd How to pronounce strained (audio)
Synonyms of strainednext
1
: done or produced with excessive effort
a strained smile
2
: pushed by antagonism near to open conflict
strained relations

strained

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of strain entry 2

Synonyms of strained

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of strained in a Sentence

Adjective 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Relations with Morocco have been strained following reports that its government had facilitated the mass border crossing, but Sánchez tamped down the speculation. — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026 The second of four children, Cusk had a strained relationship with her parents. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026 His injuries also included a strained AC joint in his shoulder and abrasions on his face, the affidavit states. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026 While Meghan plans to remain close to her mother despite the distance, the move could also bring Harry closer to his own family after years of strained relations. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for strained

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of strained was circa 1542

Rhymes for strained

See All Rhymes for strained

Browse Nearby Words

strain diagram
strained
strainer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strained. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

strained

adjective
ˈstrānd How to pronounce strained (audio)
1
: not easy or natural : forced
a strained smile
2
: brought close to war
strained relations between countries
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All