strained
Americanadjective
adjective
-
(of an action, performance, etc) not natural or spontaneous
-
(of an atmosphere, relationship, etc) not relaxed; tense
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of strained
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at strain 1, -ed 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Myanmar warned citizens to expect power outages as the electricity grid is strained by an unseasonal heatwave authorities blamed on El Nino.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
He said the announcement should mark a "starting point" to rebuilding strained community relations in Portadown.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Refusing to do so would have likely strained relations with the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
"Nepal's electricity system, currently strained and heavily dependent on hydropower, could be made more robust through well-planned additions of solar electricity," Germany's development agency GIZ said in a 2024 report.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
He paused every few strides, clinging to brambles and roots, struggling against the pull of Pain as he strained to listen for her reply.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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