1
: done or produced with excessive effort
a strained smile
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
Kids at a young age can tell how they're being compared with their siblings, and those who feel they've been treated unfairly are more likely to have anxiety and depression, strained family relationships and engage in behaviors such as drinking or smoking as teenagers.
—
Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
This risk of strained electricity supply is particularly acute from 2028 onwards, according to TEPRI’s Weisz.
—Claire Hao, Houston Chronicle, 7 Jan. 2026
Interactions with his wife’s family remain strained; to this day, no one has told 99-year-old Nana that Webster was in prison.
—Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
The tensions in Yemen have further strained ties between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, neighbors on the Arabian Peninsula that have competed over economic issues and regional politics, particularly in the Red Sea area.
—Ahmed Al-Haj, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strained. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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