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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of strain
Paul Iddon, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
The Department of Water and Power said the issue arose due to unprecedented strain on the system.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
William Guillory, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
When the true freshman phenom strained his hamstring Nov. 2 against Georgia, third-string walk-on quarterback Aidan Warner stepped in and acquitted himself well during a 34-20 loss to the No. 2 Bulldogs.
—Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for strain 
Noun
Those incidents could indicate that Israeli interceptor stockpiles are running low or the systems are under strain from near-daily attacks.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
The Department of Water and Power said the issue arose due to unprecedented strain on the system.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
He was forced to leave the game in the final minutes of the Pelicans’ Play-In Tournament loss to the Lakers last season after straining his left hamstring.
—William Guillory, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
When the true freshman phenom strained his hamstring Nov. 2 against Georgia, third-string walk-on quarterback Aidan Warner stepped in and acquitted himself well during a 34-20 loss to the No. 2 Bulldogs.
—Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 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
-
Here's how to blend AI insights with your human touch: • Intuition Integration: Use AI insights as a starting point, but always filter them through your intuition and experience.—
Aleesha Webb,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
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Those earlier rulings found that the age verification systems of the 1990s and 2000s unduly burdened people’s speech and that filtering software could serve the same purpose, but the court also said that if the internet changed at some point in the future, that analysis could change too.—
Adi Robertson,
The Verge,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Walgreens, Rite Aid, Bench Commission, Dunia closures Pharmacy chains are struggling, too.—
David Staats,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Jan. 2025
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The spike in egg prices comes on the heels of a slow COVID-19 pandemic recovery, as many restaurants in Southern California continue to struggle.—
Cindy Carcamo,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Cinnamon Melts Hotcakes are good and all, but nothing beats a squishy mini cinnamon roll dripping with cream-cheese icing.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
18 Jan. 2025
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Over thousands of years, water dripped below the surface creating an underground water deposit called the Ogallala Aquifer.—
David Newcomb,
Kansas City Star,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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His reporting on billionaires has stretched from America's largest cardboard box factory to Donald Trump's ...—
Chase Peterson-Withorn,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
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That, in turn, now allows the Pixel Watch 3 to stretch in some new directions.—
Sheena Vasani,
The Verge,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Putin has steadily tightened his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with the two leaders signing a defense pact when the Russian leader paid a visit to North Korea in June.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA TODAY,
12 Jan. 2025
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For the past four years, the Biden administration has tightened relations with allies but neglected diplomacy where it was most needed, with Russia and China.—
Charles A. Kupchan,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Colvin then turned to hug reporter Liz Kreutz, who watched the reunion.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
People.com,
13 Jan. 2025
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Meghan hugged a woman affected by the disaster as the pair wore dust masks to help protect them from the aftermath of the blaze.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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About 12,000 structures have been damaged of destroyed.—
David Caraccio,
Sacramento Bee,
16 Jan. 2025
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Other establishments were not damaged but remain inaccessible due to the devastation.—
Ryan Fonseca,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near strain
Cite this Entry
“Strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strain. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
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