noun
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a sieve used for straining sauces, vegetables, tea, etc
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a gauze or simple filter used to strain liquids
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a self-locking device or a tool for tightening fencing wire
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the main post in a wire fence, often diagonally braced
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of strainer
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at strain 1, -er 1
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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.
See Examples For:
Prepare the canned beans by pouring the contents into a strainer over the sink.
From Salon ● Feb. 7, 2026
For ultra-smooth texture, pass the purée through a fine-mesh strainer — an optional step, but one that brings a dish firmly into restaurant territory.
From Salon ● May 16, 2025
This method works with anything with holes, such as a straw hat, a strainer, a cheese grater or even a perforated spoon.
From New York Times ● Apr. 7, 2024
Pour the mixture into a wire mesh strainer over a bowl or measuring cup.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 17, 2023
"Shah-jan, don't run," my mom calls out, though she's practically hopping to put away the chopping board and the strainer, that metal sky full of stars.
From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi
Special strainers for grating and juicing tomatoes gained a place among kitchen furnishings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2025
Hand crank and electric tomato presses, strainers and sauce makers allow gardeners to separate the skins and seeds from the tomato meat for quicker and easier processing.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 13, 2023
Eisenbise testified that she first had to drill a hole through one of the device’s end-caps and remove several metallic strainers inside the tube before it could function as a silencer.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 19, 2023
The eyewear, made from soft drinks cans, plastic tea strainers, clothes pegs, bottle brushes and other objects represent the innovative way that many everyday things in Kenya are repurposed for other uses, Muriu says.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2021
They lift broken masonry blocks, shovel dust and shattered glass through strainers.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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