strained

[ streynd ]
See synonyms for strained on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. affected or produced by effort; not natural or spontaneous; forced: strained hospitality.

Origin of strained

1
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at strain1, -ed2

Other words from strained

  • strained·ly [streynd-lee, strey-nid-], /ˈstreɪnd li, ˈstreɪ nɪd-/, adverb
  • strainedness, noun
  • well-strained, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for strained

strained

/ (streɪnd) /


adjective
  1. (of an action, performance, etc) not natural or spontaneous

  2. (of an atmosphere, relationship, etc) not relaxed; tense

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012