STRAINED

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does strained mean? 

• STRAINED (adjective)
  The adjective STRAINED has 4 senses:

1. lacking natural ease

2. showing signs of mental and emotional tension

3. lacking spontaneity; not natural

4. struggling for effect

  Familiarity information: STRAINED used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STRAINED (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lacking natural ease

Synonyms:

labored; laboured; strained

Context example:

a labored style of debating

Similar:

awkward (lacking grace or skill in manner or movement or performance)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Showing signs of mental and emotional tension

Context example:

her voice was strained as she asked the question

Similar:

tense (in or of a state of physical or nervous tension)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Lacking spontaneity; not natural

Synonyms:

constrained; forced; strained

Context example:

a strained smile

Similar:

affected; unnatural (speaking or behaving in an artificial way to make an impression)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Struggling for effect

Synonyms:

agonistic; strained

Context example:

agonistic poses

Similar:

affected; unnatural (speaking or behaving in an artificial way to make an impression)

 Context examples 

I assure you I am in no danger of putting any strained construction on your motives.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

You can understand, however, that the situation is a little strained.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“What are you going to do?” she asked in a strained, tense voice.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Her face was white and strained.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

But I do not approve of this derivation, which seems to be a little strained.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

For me, the watches of that long night passed in ghastly wakefulness; strained by dread: such dread as children only can feel.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

With strained ears, I listened, and heard downstairs the grinding of the key in the great lock and the falling back of the heavy door.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The dogs sprang against the breast-bands, strained hard for a few moments, then relaxed.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

My friend was standing with an expression of strained intensity upon his face, staring at the railway metals where they curved out of the tunnel.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Yes," was all he said, but he turned and strained his eyes to see the island which a greater usurper than even Napoleon now made interesting in his sight.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)