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
Redick has had to shuffle the roster pieces around since, using the final five games of the regular season to assess his rotation options without Doncic and Reaves, who also missed 19 straight games from Christmas until February with a strained calf.
—
Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
King Charles delivered a rare address to a joint session of Congress on April 28, highlighting the second day of his four-day state visit and placing the spotlight on the strained but enduring relationship between his country and the United States.
—Veronica Bravo, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
The remarks, made privately but leaked publicly during King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s high-profile visit to Washington and New York amid efforts to repair strained relations, have placed fresh scrutiny on Britain’s standing in Washington at a particularly sensitive diplomatic moment.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Magic forward Franz Wagner was sidelined with a strained right calf.
—CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
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Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
King Charles delivered a rare address to a joint session of Congress on April 28, highlighting the second day of his four-day state visit and placing the spotlight on the strained but enduring relationship between his country and the United States.
—Veronica Bravo, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
The remarks, made privately but leaked publicly during King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s high-profile visit to Washington and New York amid efforts to repair strained relations, have placed fresh scrutiny on Britain’s standing in Washington at a particularly sensitive diplomatic moment.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Magic forward Franz Wagner was sidelined with a strained right calf.
—CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strained
Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strained. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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