strains 1 of 3

plural of strain
1
2
as in melodies
a rhythmic series of musical tones arranged to give a pleasing effect the strain of an old Irish ballad rose up from the revelers downstairs

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4

strains

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of strain
as in stresses
the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's time the family's constant moving is putting a real strain on the children

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

strains

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of strain
1
as in pulls
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure in order to lift something heavy, squat down and lift with your legs, or you'll strain your back

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2
as in filters
to pass through a filter better strain that coffee thoroughly to get all the grounds out

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3
4
as in drips
to flow forth slowly through small openings put the cooked fruit in a cheesecloth bag and let the juice strain into a pan

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
6
as in tightens
to draw tight the dog strained its leash trying to get to the cat

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7

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of strains
Noun
This is because vaccine protection decreases over time and because the vaccines are updated to give people the best protection against new strains. Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024 This is because vaccine protection decreases over time and because the vaccines are updated to give people the best protection against new strains. Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024 There are vaccines designed to protect humans against specific strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, but these are not widely available to the general public. Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 19 Dec. 2024 There are vaccines designed to protect humans against specific strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, but these are not widely available to the general public. Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 19 Dec. 2024 This is because vaccine protection decreases over time and because the vaccines are updated to give people the best protection against new strains. Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024 This is because vaccine protection decreases over time and because the vaccines are updated to give people the best protection against new strains. Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024 There are vaccines designed to protect humans against specific strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, but these are not widely available to the general public. Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 19 Dec. 2024 There are vaccines designed to protect humans against specific strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, but these are not widely available to the general public. Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 19 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strains
Verb
  • But the major bowl games allow locker room access, which pulls back the curtain (literally) on what a team is really like when no one is watching.
    Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
  • At the end of each show, members from the audience get to sit in a big red chair and try to tell an anecdote before Norton, or a guest, pulls a lever that flips them backward.
    Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Additionally, the jail struggles to provide adequate food, and unsanitary food distribution practices have left detainees vulnerable to malnutrition, pest infestations and other harms.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 4 Jan. 2025
  • But Moore sometimes struggles to take responsibility in the way expected of leaders.
    Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Eggers and his go-to production designer Craig Lathrop also put a unique emphasis on building realistic worlds—their production design strives extra hard to close gaps between Eggers’s olden aesthetic and the modern audience’s perception.
    Maya Ibbitson, Architectural Digest, 23 Dec. 2024
  • The company strives to be more than just a pet product brand.
    FunnyFuzzy Contributor, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The cold seeps are in the northern region of the South China Sea off the southeastern coast of China and the southwestern coast of Taiwan.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2025
  • In the depths of the ocean where the Earth’s crust meets the freezing water, chemicals leak into the seawater through cracks and fissures called cold seeps.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Jackson tries to see 15 to 20 people at each facility during her monthly visits.
    Jess Huff, Austin American-Statesman, 27 Dec. 2024
  • Still, Ana tries to focus on training and putting together a stellar routine worthy of national success.
    Madeline Mitchell, The Enquirer, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The office also works with the Connecticut State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit, which investigates the cause and origin of fires and arson.
    Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 30 Nov. 2024
  • The former calls for a counterfactual view of how testing works; the latter calls for political will and policy ideas not currently in evidence.
    Peter Greene, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Buda, with its historic castle and thermal baths, exudes an Old World charm.
    Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
  • What to Consider The hotel exudes an unplugged vibe, and while there is Wi-Fi, there are no TVs in guest rooms.
    Emily Hochberg, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near strains

Cite this Entry

“Strains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strains. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

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