strait
strayt
Strait (noun) means a narrow stretch of water that connects two larger seas or bodies of water. Example: “Ships pass through the Strait of Gibraltar to enter the Mediterranean.”
noun
1
A narrow stretch of water that connects two larger seas or bodies of water.
"Ships pass through the Strait of Gibraltar to enter the Mediterranean."
"The ferry crosses the strait in less than an hour on calm days."
"Fishing boats gather in the narrow strait between the island and the mainland."
2
A difficult or distressing situation (usually plural: "dire straits").
"The company found itself in dire financial straits."
"After losing his job, the family was in desperate straits."
"The charity helps people who are in dire straits through no fault of their own."
How to use strait
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA narrow sea channel, or a tight, difficult spot you're stuck in.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "straight" (not bent) — they sound identical but are unrelated in meaning.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
dire straits
the strait of
narrow strait
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like strait.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- straits
- Third person singular
- straits
- Past tense
- straited
- Comparative
- straiter
- Superlative
- straitest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Ships pass through the _____ of Gibraltar to enter the Mediterranean.
Etymology
From Old French "estreit," from Latin "strictus" ("drawn tight") — the same root as "strict."
Related words
Rhymes for strait
See all rhymes for strait →Frequently asked questions
What does “strait” mean?
The word “strait” means a narrow stretch of water that connects two larger seas or bodies of water. In plain terms, a narrow sea channel, or a tight, difficult spot you're stuck in.
How do you pronounce “strait”?
“Strait” is pronounced strayt (/stɹeɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “strait” in a sentence?
Here is “strait” used in a sentence: “Ships pass through the Strait of Gibraltar to enter the Mediterranean.”
What part of speech is “strait”?
“Strait” is a noun.
Where does the word “strait” come from?
The word “strait” comes from Latin. From Old French "estreit," from Latin "strictus" ("drawn tight") — the same root as "strict.".
Is “strait” a common word?
“Strait” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “strait” have?
“Strait” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a narrow stretch of water that connects two larger seas or bodies of water.
What is the difference between strait and straight?
Strait refers to a narrow stretch of water connecting two larger seas, or to a difficult situation, as in "dire straits." Straight describes something without a bend or curve, or something direct and honest. The two words are pronounced the same but are unrelated in meaning, making them a common source of spelling confusion.
Why is the phrase written as dire straits and not dire straights?
The phrase uses strait in its sense of a difficult or distressing situation, not the adjective straight meaning not curved. Because the two words sound identical, "dire straights" is a frequent misspelling, but strait is the historically correct form in this idiom.
Is strait mostly used in its geographic sense today?
The geographic sense, as in the Strait of Gibraltar, remains common in place names and navigation contexts. The figurative sense, meaning a difficult situation, survives mainly in set phrases like "dire straits" rather than in everyday standalone use.
