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
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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 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
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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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Here’s What To Know Jon Jones’ Astronomical Asking Price For Tom Aspinall Fight Leaked Golden Globes 2025: ‘The Brutalist’, ‘Emilia Pérez’ And ‘Shogun’ Win Big Tree roots also naturally filter water of sediments and pollutants, creating cleaner, higher quality water.Dan Lambe, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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Most cameras offer customizable zones to filter out recording or motion detection for areas of the camera's frame.Simon Hill, WIRED, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The old heavyweights of space launch — the United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and Europe’s Arianespace — struggled with delays in developing new rockets, and Western sanctions removed Russian rockets as an option.Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 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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The Diner Norman, Oklahoma Nostalgia (in the form of vintage fishing and chili cook-off photos and other old-school memorabilia) drips from the very walls of this Oklahoma diner.Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2025
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The visuals are nothing short of mesmerizing, and the film drips with a Lynchian vibe.Scott Phillips, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Rising personnel costs, along with an endless array of peacetime missions, are stretching U.S. forces thin.Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
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The mansion, often considered a monument to Roaring ‘20s ostentation, stretches from the Intracoastal to the Atlantic Ocean.Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 7 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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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
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Colvin then turned to hug reporter Liz Kreutz, who watched the reunion.Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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When radon gas is inhaled, its radioactive particles can damage lung tissue, which increases the risk of developing lung cancer.Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
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About 12,000 structures have been damaged of destroyed.David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 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 19 Jan. 2025.
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