strait

American  

[streyt] / streɪt /

noun

• straits
  plural

1. (used with a singular verb) Often straits. a narrow passage of water connecting two large bodies of water.

2. Often straits. a position of difficulty, distress, or need.

   Ill and penniless, he was in sad straits indeed.

   Synonyms:

   plight, predicament, dilemma, pinch, exigency

   Antonyms:

   ease

3. Archaic. a narrow passage or area.

4. an isthmus.

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adjective

Archaic.

1. narrow.

   Strait is the gate.

2. affording little space; confined in area.

3. strict, as in requirements or principles.

strait British  

/ streɪt /

noun

1. (often plural)

   1. a narrow channel of the sea linking two larger areas of sea

   2. ( capital as part of a name )

      the Strait of Gibraltar

2. (often plural) a position of acute difficulty (often in the phrase in dire or desperate straits )

3. archaic a narrow place or passage

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adjective

1. (of spaces, etc) affording little room

2. (of circumstances, etc) limiting or difficult

3. severe, strict, or scrupulous

strait Scientific  

/ strāt /

1. A narrow waterway joining two larger bodies of water. The Strait of Gibraltar, for example, connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean.

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Synonym Usage

See emergency.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• straitness
  noun
• straitly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• straits
  plural

Etymology

Origin of strait

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English streit “narrow, a strait,” from Old French estreit “narrow, tight,” from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere “to tighten, bind”; see strain ¹

Explanation

A strait is a narrow sea channel or a difficult situation — remember that both are difficult to navigate. If you're stranded on a strait off the Black Sea, you might also say that you're in dire straits. The noun strait comes from the Latin word strictus, meaning "to bind or draw tight." Whether you're describing a narrow passage of water or a tricky situation, a strait will make you feel like you're in tight quarters. You might be familiar with the term "dire straits," which refers an urgent or drastic situation. If all the dorms are overbooked for the fall semester and the off-campus apartments are all rented, you might find yourself in dire straits.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

strait straits

This idea became more widespread on Aug. 2, when the Dodgers acquired ace lefthander Tarik Skubal to contribute to the team’s quest for a third strait World Series title.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

When Iran started shooting at ships the U.S. was guiding through the strait three weeks later in early July, it caught the U.S. by surprise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

However, it is now playing a role in negotiating with Iran to reopen the strait.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Analysts at Eurasia Group said in a report that they expect a U.S.-Iran de-escalation in September, which would allow for a partial reopening of the strait.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026

He would at least have died after having crossed the strait, after having worked in a crystal shop, and after having known the silence of the desert and Fatima’s eyes.

From "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho

Bye - who has a six-year-old dalmatian, two springer spaniels and a cat - said her family were "financially stable" when they got their pets but a year later were in "dire straits".

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

Getting to see one is a special occasion, he said, especially given the dire straits the fish are in worldwide.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

Japan isn’t in the same economic straits as Argentina.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Even if disrupted flows through both straits fall another 4 million barrels a day from current levels, the market can sidestep an acute shortage as long as “demand stays close to today’s depressed levels.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

In desperate straits she can make us laugh, with her main talent being radio commercials oozed out in a fabulous fashion-model voice: “Medically tested Odo-ro-no, stops underarm odor and moisture at the source!”

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• predicament