1
: done or produced with excessive effort
2
: pushed by antagonism near to open conflict
strained relations
Examples of strained in a Sentence
He made a strained attempt at being polite.
I took the complaint manager's strained smile to mean I wasn't a welcome sight.
Recent Examples on the Web
For years, Knight has hinted at Snoop’s alleged jealousy of Tupac, believing that the East Coast-West Coast rivalry and personal tensions led to strained relationships within their inner circle.
—
Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 25 Feb. 2025
State of play: DeSantis and Trump have long had a strained relationship.
—Ivana Saric, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025
Among the 66% of companies reporting bad hires, many also cited additional negative consequences, such as strained client relationships, declining sales and diminished employee morale.
—Elena Volotovskaya, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Doncic has been sidelined since Dec. 25 because of a strained left calf.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strained
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Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 25 Feb. 2025
State of play: DeSantis and Trump have long had a strained relationship.
—Ivana Saric, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025
Among the 66% of companies reporting bad hires, many also cited additional negative consequences, such as strained client relationships, declining sales and diminished employee morale.
—Elena Volotovskaya, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Doncic has been sidelined since Dec. 25 because of a strained left calf.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strained
Cite this Entry
“Strained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strained. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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