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Synonyms

strained

American  
[streynd] / streɪnd /

adjective

  1. affected or produced by effort; not natural or spontaneous; forced.

    strained hospitality.
strained British  
/ streɪnd /

adjective

  1. (of an action, performance, etc) not natural or spontaneous

  2. (of an atmosphere, relationship, etc) not relaxed; tense

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • strainedly adverb
  • strainedness noun
  • well-strained adjective

Etymology

Origin of strained

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; 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.

Cakarel said some business and creative relationships are still strained, but the company is bringing at least six movies to next month’s Cannes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

But the movie itself isn’t exactly exploring new frontiers of fear, devolving instead into a familiar slasher-thriller with a climax of strained characterization and confusing spatial logic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

The disruption to global shipments caused by the war in the Middle East has strained cooking gas supplies in India.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

The Dodgers placed Mookie Betts on the injured list after learning he suffered a strained right oblique and called up Hyeseong Kim from Oklahoma City.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Gasps, the crunch of straw or leaves, a strained groan.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.