strain

noun
UK: /streɪn/
US: /streɪn/

  1. A force tending to pull or stretch something to an extreme or damaging degree.

    1. The rope felt the strain and began to fray.
    2. The bridge showed signs of strain after the heavy storm passed by our town.

  2. Pressure on someone, resulting from worry or overwork.

    1. He's showing signs of strain from his long hours.
    2. The financial strain was too much for the company during this recession time.

  3. A particular type or breed of animal or plant.

    1. This strain of wheat is resistant to disease.
    2. Scientists are researching a new strain of flu that has been spreading.

  4. An injury resulting from excessive physical effort or overuse.

    1. I felt a strain in my back after lifting that box.
    2. Muscle strain is a common injury for athletes when they don't warm up first.

Synonyms

stress filter type pressure sieve exertion breed
strain verb

  1. To force a part of your body to make an extreme effort.

    1. Don't strain your eyes to read the small print.
    2. She had to strain her ears to hear the faint noise coming from the attic.

  2. To make a great effort or effort to do something.

    1. I had to strain to hear over the loud music.
    2. He strained every nerve to reach the finish line before the end of the race.

  3. To filter liquid by passing it through a sieve, cloth, or similar.

    1. Strain the pasta before adding the sauce.
    2. She carefully strained the soup to remove any lumps after cooking it slowly.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "strain" in English means: A force tending to pull or stretch something to an extreme or damaging degree., Pressure on someone, resulting from worry or overwork., A particular type or breed of animal or plant., An injury resulting from excessive physical effort or overuse..

The phonetic transcription of "strain" is /streɪn/ in British English and /streɪn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "strain": stress, filter, type, pressure, sieve, exertion, breed.

Example usage of "strain": "The rope felt the strain and began to fray.". More examples on the page.