adjective Uncommon

strained

straynd

Strained (adjective) means Tense, forced, or lacking in ease, especially describing a relationship or expression. Example: “There was a strained silence after the announcement.”

adjective

Tense, forced, or lacking in ease, especially describing a relationship or expression.

"There was a strained silence after the announcement."

"Relations between the two countries remain strained."

Passed through a strainer or sieve.

"Baby food is usually strained to a smooth texture."

How to use strained

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTense and uneasy, not natural or relaxed — or, of food, put through a sieve.

Common pairings

strained relationship strained smile strained relations

Word forms

more strained comparative, most strained superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

There was a _____ silence after the announcement.

Rhymes for strained

lined mined gained joined ruined pained refined stained defined trained drained chained

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Frequently asked questions

What does “strained” mean?

The word “strained” means tense, forced, or lacking in ease, especially describing a relationship or expression. In plain terms, tense and uneasy, not natural or relaxed — or, of food, put through a sieve.

How do you pronounce “strained”?

“Strained” is pronounced straynd (/stɹeɪ̯nd/ in IPA).

How do you use “strained” in a sentence?

Here is “strained” used in a sentence: “There was a strained silence after the announcement.”

What part of speech is “strained”?

“Strained” is an adjective.

Is “strained” a common word?

“Strained” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “strained” have?

“Strained” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: tense, forced, or lacking in ease, especially describing a relationship or expression.