seem strained

Examples (10)

• His smile seemed a little strained as he greeted them.
• The silence in the room seemed increasingly strained after the argument.
• Their conversation seemed polite but utterly strained.
• She tried to appear calm, but her voice seemed noticeably strained.
• After the long hours, everyone's patience seemed quite strained.
• The relationship between the two departments had begun to seem very strained.
• He apologized, but his apology seemed forced and strained.
• Despite the good news, her expression still seemed somewhat strained.
• The negotiations seemed to become more strained with each passing hour.
• Even their laughter seemed a bit strained, hinting at underlying tension.