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
There's also the potential for dependency on partners, which can be risky if the alliance becomes strained.
—
Randy Wong, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
This causes the voice to break and have a strained sound.
—Kate Nalepinski, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
Despite the strained relationship between both countries at the political level, the Tempo are focused on having a smooth launch next year and adding to the W’s current momentum.
—Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 14 May 2025
For some, this can be a difficult day because of a strained relationship.
—Andrew Torgan, CNN Money, 11 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strained. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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