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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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 of strain in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2024
Proactive Asset Management Unexpected maintenance issues have long been a source of financial strain and tenant dissatisfaction for property management companies and landlords.
—Andrei Kasyanau, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2024
Maya Goldman Oct 30, 2024 - Health Workplace violence at hospitals continues to surge
Hospitals and clinics remain among the most violent workplaces in America, continuing to strain health workers in the aftermath of the pandemic experience.
—Victoria Knight, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for strain 
Noun
The process is thought to have produced the 2009 H1N1 swine flu from a mix of U.S. and European strains of pig flu virus, launching a (thankfully mild) pandemic.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2024
Proactive Asset Management Unexpected maintenance issues have long been a source of financial strain and tenant dissatisfaction for property management companies and landlords.
—Andrei Kasyanau, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
In Phoenix, a city that had 113 straight 100-degree-or-more days this summer, the air-conditioning system at Chase Field has been straining; players have left games due to cramps, blaming the heat.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2024
Maya Goldman Oct 30, 2024 - Health Workplace violence at hospitals continues to surge
Hospitals and clinics remain among the most violent workplaces in America, continuing to strain health workers in the aftermath of the pandemic experience.
—Victoria Knight, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for strain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strain
Verb
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Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
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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
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But wait times stayed well under an hour statewide in the morning and early afternoon, even as a steady stream of voters filtered through voting locations.Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 6 Nov. 2024
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In a dynamic landscape, the need for data warehousing is becoming increasingly apparent, and there are a myriad of tools available that can distill large volumes of information and complex variables, filter out extraneous information and even draw conclusions for you.Naveen Singh, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Shares have already been struggling this year, dropping about 40%.Sean Conlon, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
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The party has struggled to appeal to members of racial and ethnic minority groups -- a reason to watch the Hispanic voter closely on Election Day.Gary Langer, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Plant food fails to provide enough nourishment for the rather strange flora, but things change when Seymour cuts his finger and drips blood on Audrey Jr.Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024
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Today’s biggest artists are watched and scrutinized by fans for their every post, like, and follow, each reply and comment dripping with a previously unseen level of entitlement.Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
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But that Friday the second-grader was elated to stretch her legs for a bear drive on state game land with her grandfather, her dad, and a dozen of his buddies.Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
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The basin stretches over eastern Montana, western North Dakota and South Dakota and the southern Canadian province of Saskatchewan.Judith Kohler, The Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Yet Harris’s momentum leveled off, the race tightened and anxieties rose.Julia Prodis Sulek, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
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But there are indications that the race between the parties is tightening further.The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The video was followed by a black-and-white image of Biles hugging Chiles, 23, and Joscelyn Roberson.Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
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Family and friends of Taylor hugged each other and cheered after leaving court late Friday night.Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
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There were no injuries, but three homes were damaged in the fire, which began at around 9 a.m. near Pacific Coast Highway, Mayor Doug Stewart said.Phil Helsel, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
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Officials haven’t determined the number of structures that have been damaged.CNN.com, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near strain
Cite this Entry
“Strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strain. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
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