1
: done or produced with excessive effort
2
: pushed by antagonism near to open conflict
strained relations
Synonyms
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
By William Baldwin, Senior Contributor State budgets are strained and tax hikes might make voters angry or businesses inclined to leave.
—
William Baldwin, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
The return of former chief scout Sven Mislintat — with whom Kehl has a strained relationship — as technical director, further complicated his role.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
Prince Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the royal family remains strained.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
Zuckerberg has worked to patch up the strained relationship between Trump and Meta in recent months.
—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for strained 
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William Baldwin, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
The return of former chief scout Sven Mislintat — with whom Kehl has a strained relationship — as technical director, further complicated his role.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
Prince Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the royal family remains strained.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
Zuckerberg has worked to patch up the strained relationship between Trump and Meta in recent months.
—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for strained
Dictionary Entries Near strained
Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strained. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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