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
The conference illuminated the increasingly strained relationship between Israel and its traditional allies in the West, which have grown uneasy with Israeli politics and the direction of the country’s devastating war in Gaza.
—
Julia Frankel and Leo Correa, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Enter left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr., who had not pitched in five weeks because of a strained elbow flexor.
—Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
The Tigers are also hit by injuries to outfielder Matt Vierling, with a strained shoulder, and backup outfielder Wenceel Pérez, who is suffering from lower back inflammation and is set to sit out the first month of the season.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
Customer calls have surged, the Washington Post reported Tuesday, prompting long wait times for callers dialing into strained offices, where employees have few answers to give on recent changes.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strained
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.
Julia Frankel and Leo Correa, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Enter left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr., who had not pitched in five weeks because of a strained elbow flexor.
—Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
The Tigers are also hit by injuries to outfielder Matt Vierling, with a strained shoulder, and backup outfielder Wenceel Pérez, who is suffering from lower back inflammation and is set to sit out the first month of the season.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
Customer calls have surged, the Washington Post reported Tuesday, prompting long wait times for callers dialing into strained offices, where employees have few answers to give on recent changes.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strained
Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strained. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share