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
But the discussion around Golden this season has been muted, strained and careful all the way to the end, Monday’s dramatic 65-63 comeback win against Houston to seize the title.
—
Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Throughout the series, the strained relationship between father and son highlights the repercussions of family communication breakdowns.
—Laurel Donnellan, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
While petty revenge can be amusing—and satisfying in the moment—Best suggested a different approach to dealing with strained neighbor relationships.
—Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
Former presidential candidates in election years sought to be pranksters (Hillary Clinton, in a somewhat strained spoof, challenged then-Sen. Barack Obama to a bowling night).
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strained
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Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Throughout the series, the strained relationship between father and son highlights the repercussions of family communication breakdowns.
—Laurel Donnellan, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
While petty revenge can be amusing—and satisfying in the moment—Best suggested a different approach to dealing with strained neighbor relationships.
—Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
Former presidential candidates in election years sought to be pranksters (Hillary Clinton, in a somewhat strained spoof, challenged then-Sen. Barack Obama to a bowling night).
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 1 Apr. 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 14 Apr. 2025.
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