strait

1 of 3

noun

Synonyms of straitnext
1
a
: a comparatively narrow passageway connecting two large bodies of water
—often used in plural but singular in construction
b
: isthmus
c
archaic : a narrow space or passage
2
: a situation of perplexity or distress
—often used in plural
in dire straits

strait

2 of 3

adjective

ˈstrāt How to pronounce strait (audio)
1
a
: causing distress : difficult
b
: limited as to means or resources
2
archaic : strict, rigorous
3
archaic
a
: narrow
b
: limited in space or time
c
: closely fitting : constricted, tight
straitly adverb
straitness noun

strait

3 of 3

adverb

obsolete
: in a close or tight manner

Did you know?

strait or straight?

Straight and strait are homophones (“one of two or more words pronounced alike but different in meaning or derivation or spelling”), and many people are in the habit of confusing such creatures, particularly when used in fixed phrases. If you express no emotion you have a straight face; an upright person is a straight shooter; a straight flush is “a poker hand containing five cards of the same suit in sequence.” However, if you find yourself in a difficult situation you are in dire straits. Straitjacket and straitlaced are the more commonly used forms for the restrictive garment and the “strict in manners” adjective, although straightjacket and straightlaced are also occasionally found.

Synonyms

Noun

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for strait

juncture, exigency, emergency, contingency, pinch, strait (or straits) crisis mean a critical or crucial time or state of affairs.

juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.

an important juncture in our country's history

exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

provide for exigencies

emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies

contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

contingency plans

pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.

come through in a pinch

strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

in dire straits

crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.

a crisis of confidence

Examples of strait in a Sentence

Noun Her campaign is in desperate straits. The company is in desperate financial straits. The economy is in dire straits.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Trump’s federal cases, meanwhile, face more dire straits. —Ella Lee, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2024 Hundreds of men were trapped on board when the ship sank in the Solent, a strait between the Isle of Wight and mainland Great Britain. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
The first season was sort of designed to feel like a strait jacket. —Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 13 June 2024 The corridor would have the additional benefits of avoiding the Houthis in the Bab el-Mandeb strait entrance to the Red Sea and significantly deepen Israel’s integration into the Mediterranean, Middle East and Eurasia more broadly. —Ted Deutch, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for strait 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French estreit, from Latin strictus strait, strict, from past participle of stringere

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of strait was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near strait

strain theory

strait

strait-bodied

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Strait.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strait. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

strait

noun
ˈstrāt
1
a
: a narrow channel connecting two large bodies of water
—often used in plural
b
: isthmus
2
: a situation of confusion or distress
—often used in plural
in difficult straits

More from Merriam-Webster on strait

Nglish: Translation of strait for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of strait for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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