strain
1 of 3noun (1)
ˈstrān 
1
a
: lineage, ancestry
b
: a group of presumed common ancestry with clear-cut physiological but usually not morphological distinctions
a high-yielding strain of winter wheat
broadly : a specified infraspecific group (such as a stock, line, or ecotype)
c
: kind, sort
discussions of a lofty strain
2
a
: inherited or inherent character, quality, or disposition
a strain of weakness in the family
b
: trace, streak
a strain of fanaticism
3
a
: tune, air
b
: a passage of verbal or musical expression
c
: a stream or outburst of forceful or impassioned speech
4
a
: the tenor, pervading note, burden, or tone of an utterance or of a course of action or conduct
b
: mood, temper
strain
2 of 3verb
strained; straining; strains
transitive verb
1
a
: to draw tight : cause to fit firmly
strain the bandage over the wound
b
: to stretch to maximum extension and tautness
strain a canvas over a frame
2
a
: to exert (oneself, one's senses, etc.) to the utmost
b
: to injure by overuse, misuse, or excessive pressure
strained his back
c
: to cause a change of form or size in (a body) by application of external force
3
: to squeeze or clasp tightly: such as
a
: hug
b
: to compress painfully : constrict
4
a
: to cause to pass through a strainer : filter
b
: to remove by straining
strain lumps out of the gravy
5
: to stretch beyond a proper limit
that story strains my credulity
6
obsolete : to squeeze out : extort
intransitive verb
1
a
: to make violent efforts : strive
has to strain to reach the high notes
b
: to pull against resistance
a dog straining at its leash
c
: to contract the muscles forcefully in attempting to defecate —often used in the phrase strain at stool
2
: to pass through or as if through a strainer
the liquid strains readily
3
: to make great difficulty or resistance : balk
strain
3 of 3noun (2)
1
: an act of straining or the condition of being strained: such as
a
: bodily injury from excessive tension, effort, or use
heart strain
especially : one resulting from a wrench or twist and involving undue stretching of muscles or ligaments
back strain
b
: excessive or difficult exertion or labor
c
: excessive physical or mental tension
also : a force, influence, or factor causing such tension
a strain on the marriage
d
: deformation of a material body under the action of applied forces
2
: an unusual reach, degree, or intensity : pitch
3
archaic : a strained interpretation of something said or written
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- ancestry
- birth
- blood
- bloodline
- breeding
- descent
- extraction
- family tree
- genealogy
- line
- lineage
- origin
- parentage
- pedigree
- stock
Verb
- pull
- rack
- stretch
- wrench
Noun (2)
- pressure
- stress
- tension
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb I strained my back trying to lift the couch. Too much computer work strains the eyes. He strained a muscle in his leg. His muscles strained under the heavy weight.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English streen progeny, lineage, from Old English strēon gain, acquisition; akin to Old High German gistriuni gain, Latin struere to heap up — more at strew
Verb
Middle English, from Anglo-French estreindre, from Latin stringere to bind or draw tight, press together; akin to Greek strang-, stranx drop squeezed out, strangalē halter
First Known Use
Noun (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun (2)
1558, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing strain
Kids Definition
strain 1 of 3
noun
ˈstrān
1
: a group of closely related living things that look similar but possess one or more unique characteristics
Scientists are developing a new strain of wheat.
2
: a quality or disposition that runs through a family or group
There's a strain of genius in that family.
3
: a small amount : trace
There was a strain of sadness in his voice.
4
: melody sense 2, tune
strain
2 of 3verb
strained; straining
1
: to stretch or be stretched, pulled, or used to the limit
My muscles strained under the load.
2
: to stretch beyond a proper limit
The story strains the truth.
3
: to try very hard : make a great effort
People in the back strained to hear.
4
: to injure or be injured by too much or too hard use or effort
Don't strain your back.
5
: to press or pass through a strainer : filter
strain juice
6
: to pour off liquid from by using a strainer
Boil and then strain the pasta.
strain
3 of 3noun
1
: great worry and concern or physical effort
Perhaps, the pressures of everyday stress and strain had gotten her down.
E. L. Konigsburg, From The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
E. L. Konigsburg, From The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler2
: something that causes great worry and concern or physical effort
Running the business was a strain on him.
The heavy load was a strain on her back.
3
: bodily injury resulting from too much use or from a wrench or twist that stretches muscles and ligaments
4
: a force that pulls or stretches something to its limit : stress
Medical Definition
strain 1 of 3
noun
ˈstrān
: a group of presumed common ancestry with clear-cut physiological but usually not morphological distinctions
a highly virulent strain of bacteria
strain
2 of 3transitive verb
1
a
: to exert (as oneself) to the utmost
b
: to injure by overuse, misuse, or excessive pressure
strained his heart by overwork
c
: to cause a change of form or size in (a body) by application of external force
2
: to cause to pass through a strainer
intransitive verb
: to contract the muscles forcefully in attempting to defecate —often used in the phrase strain at stool
strain
3 of 3noun
: an act of straining or the condition of being strained: as
a
: excessive physical or mental tension
also : a force, influence, or factor causing such tension
b
: bodily injury from excessive tension, effort, or use
heart strain
especially : one resulting from a wrench or twist and involving undue stretching of muscles or ligaments
back strain
compare sprain c
: deformation of a material body under the action of applied forces
strains 1 of 3
noun (1)
1
as in lineages
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended descended from a strain of Irish seafarers Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- lineages
- pedigrees
- ancestries
- origins
- genealogies
- families
- extractions
- descents
- bloodlines
- blood
- stocks
- lines
- births
- breedings
- relations
- relatives
- parentages
- races
- successions
- family trees
- houses
- kins
- heredities
- kindreds
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- seeds
- issues
- seed
- progenies
- offspring
- children
- offsprings
- successors
- sons
- heirs
- posterities
- inheritors
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
- melodies
- songs
- tunes
- warbles
- hymns
- airs
- lyrics
- rhythms
- cadences
- lays
- ballads
- ditties
- descants
- discants
- measures
- meters
- madrigals
3
as in little
a very small amount detected a strain of panic in her voice when she asked if the substance was poisonous Synonyms & Similar Words
- little
- splashes
- sprinklings
- specks
- touches
- hints
- glimmers
- licks
- bits
- traces
- sparks
- suspicions
- dabs
- shades
- shadows
- particles
- flecks
- smells
- mites
- streaks
- drams
- rays
- shreds
- scruples
- driblets
- slivers
- spots
- soupçons
- grains
- molecules
- ounces
- parts
- nips
- peanuts
- pinches
- drops
- bites
- syllables
- smidgeons
- tastes
- doses
- spatters
- handfuls
- scintillas
- skoshes
- snaps
- smacks
- fragments
- crumbs
- smidges
- dashes
- aces
- minims
- smidgins
- vestiges
- smidgens
- atoms
- patches
- sections
- drops in the bucket
- minima
- dots
- granules
- portions
- flyspecks
- motes
- semblances
- minimums
- nibbles
- splinters
- whits
- morsels
- shivers
- shards
- flakes
- hoots
- modicums
- scraps
- nubbins
- scatterings
- smatterings
- smatters
- iotas
- jots
- chips
- tittles
- clippings
- parings
- tatters
- shots
- handsful
- shavings
- smithereens
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- quantities
- loads
- masses
- mountains
- piles
- barrels
- bundles
- volumes
- abundances
- rafts
- stacks
- buckets
- deals
- lots
- bushels
- reams
- heaps
- wealths
- messes
- wads
- scads
- pecks
- excesses
- gobs
- oodles
- fistfuls
- boatloads
- profusions
- lashings
- surpluses
- embarrassments
- potfuls
- lashins
- plenties
- much
- passels
- overflows
- slabs
- bonanzas
- overages
- lumps
- chunks
- superfluities
- oversupplies
- hunks
- overmuch
- overabundances
- overkills
- surfeits
- superabundances
4
as in types
a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common writes mystery novels of a more sophisticated strain Synonyms & Similar Words
- types
- kinds
- varieties
- genres
- sorts
- stripes
- breeds
- species
- natures
- descriptions
- kidneys
- classes
- persuasions
- likes
- manners
- feathers
- samples
- specimens
- ilks
- categories
- groups
- models
- orders
- families
- groupings
- ranks
- brackets
- suites
- divisions
- sets
- grades
- bunches
- lots
strains
2 of 3noun (2)
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- stresses
- pressures
- tensions
- worries
- anxieties
- loads
- concerns
- weights
- irritations
- troubles
- persecutions
- angers
- exasperations
- annoyances
- aggravations
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- comforts
- consolations
strains
3 of 3verb
1
as in damages
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- damages
- pulls
- bruises
- stretches
- racks
- wrenches
- hurts
- taxes
- wounds
- weakens
- tears
- harms
- frays
- batters
- lames
- impairs
- cripples
- mutilates
- mangles
2
as in filters
to pass through a filter better strain that coffee thoroughly to get all the grounds out Synonyms & Similar Words
- filters
- screens
- percolates
- leaches
3
as in struggles
to devote serious and sustained effort the whole department is straining to complete the project before the deadline Synonyms & Similar Words
- struggles
- labors
- works
- travails
- sweats
- tugs
- toils
- slaves
- humps
- endeavors
- plows
- bangs away
- drudges
- hustles
- strives
- plugs
- tries
- moils
- grubs
- fags
- sweats blood
- attacks
- exercises
- plods
- slogs
- scratches
- knuckles down
- essays
- pegs (away)
- pitches in
- beavers (away)
- buckles (down)
- digs (away)
- drives
- overexerts
- exerts
- overworks
- digs in
- hammers (away)
- ekes out
- applies (oneself)
- grinds (out)
- scrabbles
- wades
- trudges
- puts out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- breaks
- eases (up)
- slackens
- chills
- slacks (off)
- lounges
- goofs (off)
- lets up
- lazes
- hangs (around or out)
- goldbricks
- rests
- bums
- plays
- loafs
- dillydallies
- unwinds
- footles
- shirks
- relaxes
- dallies
- idles
- hacks (around)
- basks
- reposes
- fools around
- fribbles
- hangs about
- lolls
- hangs
- vegges out
- messes around
- trifles
- doodles
- goofs (around)
- veges out
- dabbles
- potters (around)
- monkeys (around)
- putters (around)
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- drips
- seeps
- flows
- sweats
- transudes
- percolates
- exudes
- oozes
- bleeds
- weeps
- springs
- emanates
- vents
- trickles
- dribbles
- gives off
- emits
- discharges
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- streams
- surges
- floods
- pours
- gushes
5
as in stretches
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress strained her memory but the name just wouldn't come to her Synonyms & Similar Words
- stretches
- tests
- tries
- taxes
- pressures
- pushes
- pains
- demands
- annoys
- gets (to)
- bothers
- irritates
- hassles
- importunes
- exasperates
- aggravates
- grates
- nettles
- peeves
- galls
- presses
- harasses
- harries
- irks
- spites
- vexes
- riles
- exacts
- pesters
- agitates
- gnaws (at)
6
as in tightens
to draw tight the dog strained its leash trying to get to the cat Synonyms & Similar Words
- tightens
- tenses
- stretches
- tautens
- elongates
- lengthens
- cinches
- constricts
- extends
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- slacks
- eases
- loosens
- slackens
- relaxes
7
as in clasps
to put one's arms around and press tightly the woman tenderly strained to her breast the child that she had long ago given up for dead Synonyms & Similar Words
- clasps
- hugs
- cradles
- crushes
- embraces
- bear-hugs
- clamps
- wraps
- enclasps
- clings
- grips
- enfolds
- folds
- grasps
- bosoms
- locks
- grabs
- pets
- holds
- strokes
- snuggles
- envelops
- twines
- embosoms
- entwines
- pats
- enwinds
- cuddles
- encircles
- nuzzles
- nestles
- fondles