1
: done or produced with excessive effort
2
: pushed by antagonism near to open conflict
strained relations

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
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.
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 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of strained was circa 1542

Dictionary Entries Near strained

Cite this Entry

“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strained. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

strained

adjective
1
: not easy or natural : forced
a strained smile
2
: brought close to war
strained relations between countries

More from Merriam-Webster on strained

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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