Verb
- 1. strive, reach, strain, tug, labor, labour, push, drive
- usage: to exert much effort or energy; "straining our ears to hear"
- 2. try, strain, stress, afflict
- usage: test the limits of; "You are trying my patience!"
- 3. strain, extend, use, utilize, utilise, apply, employ
- usage: use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity; "He really extended himself when he climbed Kilimanjaro"; "Don't strain your mind too much"
- 4. sift, sieve, strain, separate
- usage: separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements; "sift the flour"
- 5. tense, strain, tense up, affect
- usage: cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious; "he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up"
- 6. strain, tense, tighten
- usage: become stretched or tense or taut; "the bodybuilder's neck muscles tensed;" "the rope strained when the weight was attached"
- 7. filter, filtrate, strain, separate out, filter out, separate
- usage: remove by passing through a filter; "filter out the impurities"
- 8. puree, strain, rub
- usage: rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender; "puree the vegetables for the baby"
- 9. deform, distort, strain, shape, form
- usage: alter the shape of (something) by stress; "His body was deformed by leprosy"
Adjective
- 1. labored, laboured, strained, awkward (vs. graceful)
- usage: lacking natural ease; "a labored style of debating"
- 2. strained, tense (vs. relaxed)
- usage: showing signs of mental and emotional tension; "her voice was strained as she asked the question"
- 3. constrained, forced, strained, affected (vs. unaffected), unnatural
- usage: lacking spontaneity; not natural; "a constrained smile"; "forced heartiness"; "a strained smile"
- 4. agonistic, strained, affected (vs. unaffected), unnatural
- usage: struggling for effect; "agonistic poses"
WordNet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University.
All rights reserved.Definition and meaning of strained (Dictionary)