Synonyms of straits

straits

noun

plural of strait

as in distress

a state of great suffering of body or mind

in great straits over the loss of her mother's cherished necklace

Synonyms & Similar Words

• distress
• anguish
• agony
• pain
• sorrow
• misery
• sadness
• tribulation
• woe
• excruciation
• torment
• hurt
• torture
• rack
• travail
• affliction
• hardship
• discomfort
• cross
• emergency
• crucible
• unhappiness
• heartbreak
• heartache
• danger
• jeopardy
• difficulty
• ache
• joylessness
• pang
• trial
• pinch
• soreness
• trouble
• asperity
• rigor
• stitch
• twinge
• throe
• smarting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• relief
• consolation
• comfort
• solace
• ease
• security
• alleviation
• peace
• assuagement
• well-being

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun straits differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of straits are contingency, crisis, emergency, exigency, juncture, pinch, and strait. While all these words mean "a critical or crucial time or state of affairs," strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

in dire straits

When is contingency a more appropriate choice than straits?

The synonyms contingency and straits are sometimes interchangeable, but contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

contingency plans

In what contexts can crisis take the place of straits?

The meanings of crisis and straits largely overlap; however, crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.

a crisis of confidence

When is it sensible to use emergency instead of straits?

In some situations, the words emergency and straits are roughly equivalent. However, emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies

When might exigency be a better fit than straits?

While in some cases nearly identical to straits, exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

provide for exigencies

When can juncture be used instead of straits?

Although the words juncture and straits have much in common, juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.

an important juncture in our country's history

How is pinch related to other words for straits?

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

come through in a pinch

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of straits

Vivian Balakrishnan, the foreign minister of Singapore, has said passage through the Malacca and Singapore straits must remain free and open, stressing that the city-state does not support efforts to restrict navigation or impose new costs on vessels using the route. —Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 24 Apr. 2026

Ships, under international law, are freely allowed to traverse straits like Hormuz, which don’t fall within one country’s territorial waters. —Angelica Ang, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026

Commonly straits are formed by tectonic activity, such as a fracture in an isthmus. —Scott Spires, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026

Enbridge also is seeking permits to encase the section of pipeline beneath the straits in a protective tunnel. —CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026

The Facebook controversy, combined with the district’s dire financial straits, have tensions in Gaston County boiling over. —Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026

The United States put two warships through the straits. —Sophia Vento, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2026

Under this standard, countries bordering straits – like Iran and Oman in the case of Hormuz – must also allow overflight and submarines below the surface. —Elizabeth Mendenhall, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026

The once thriving dyestuff industry in Germany found itself in increasingly dire straits as the war progressed. —Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026