a major strain

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a major strain" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant burden or stress, often in contexts related to physical, emotional, or situational challenges. Example: "The pandemic has placed a major strain on the healthcare system, leading to increased workloads for medical professionals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

"There was a major strain gone in not having to move furniture, unpack, set up everything, get utilities established.

The New York Times

With interest-rate spreads set to remain very high, despite monetary easing, servicing existing debts will be a major strain on household budgets.

The Economist

■ A possible influx of immigrants from Romania and Bulgaria next month could put a major strain on the state school system, which he admitted was "very brittle in parts".

The Guardian

What place can there be for a book about the large struggles and little glories of a teacher, at a time when teacher bashing has become a major strain, even the dominant strain, of what passes for "education reform"?

The New Yorker

"It's going to be a major strain if it's going to be the drug of choice," said Arthur M. Zoloth, director of pharmacy services at the Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle.

The New York Times

Observers had long considered Iran's subsidy system, implemented during the Iran-Iraq War, a major strain on the Iranian economy since it encouraged wasteful consumption and drained state finances.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

The origin of epidemics, mainly in the United Kingdom but to a lesser extent in other countries, has been foodborne contamination by a single major strain of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agent (1, 2 ).

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Although multiple agent strains have been identified in sheep scrapie (1, 2 ) and human CJD (3, 4 ), early evidence showed that BSE was caused by a single major strain (5, 6 ) with the ability to efficiently cross the species barriers and showing stable features even when transmitted to other species.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

The stability of the BSE lesion profile in RIII mice on primary isolation (6) and the subsequent identification of two stable strains, 301C and 301V, depending on which of the two PrP genotypes of mouse is used on subpassage (8), has been attributed to the existence of a single major strain of the agent in the original host.

Brain Pathology

Differently, a transgenic L. major strain, which infected but not survived for a long term in mice, resulted in sterile cure and loss of effector memory CD4+ T cell population, but retained central memory CD4+ T cells.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Earlier this year Sweden's government delivered leaflets to 4.8m Swedish households, inviting them to consider how they could best cope in a situation of "major strain … in which society's normal services are not working as they usually do".

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a major strain", ensure the context clearly indicates what is experiencing the strain. For example, "The influx of refugees placed a major strain on the country's resources."

Common error

Avoid using "a major strain" in overly general situations. Be specific about the source and nature of the strain to provide clarity and impact. Instead of saying "The project was a major strain", specify what aspects were strained: "The project's tight deadline put a major strain on the team's resources and morale."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a major strain" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject complement or object. It describes something that imposes a significant burden or stress, as seen in the examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

28%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

4%

Academia

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a major strain" is a commonly used phrase that denotes a significant burden or stress. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and is most frequently found in news and media sources, followed by scientific and formal business contexts. It's crucial to use the phrase in contexts where the source and nature of the strain are clear to avoid vagueness. Alternatives such as "significant burden" or "considerable pressure" can be used depending on the specific meaning you intend to convey. Overall, "a major strain" serves to emphasize the impact of a challenging situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

major difficulty

Direct synonym replacement for "strain" with "difficulty".

significant burden

Replaces "strain" with "burden", focusing on the weight or load aspect.

considerable pressure

Substitutes "strain" with "pressure", highlighting the force or stress involved.

heavy load

Emphasizes the impact as a substantial weight or responsibility.

substantial stress

Replaces "strain" with "stress", focusing on the mental or emotional tension.

significant challenge

Highlights the difficulty aspect of the situation rather than the pressure.

severe difficulty

Focuses on the problematic nature of the situation.

acute hardship

Emphasizes the severity and difficulty of the experience.

serious problem

Indicates a grave issue that needs attention.

big challenge

An informal way of saying significant difficulty.

FAQs

How can I use "a major strain" in a sentence?

Use "a major strain" to describe something that is causing significant stress, burden, or pressure on someone or something. For example, "The new regulations have put "a major strain on" small businesses".

What can I say instead of "a major strain"?

You can use alternatives like "significant burden", "considerable pressure", or "substantial stress" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "a major strain on" something?

Yes, it's grammatically correct. The phrase "a major strain" is often followed by "on" to indicate what is being affected. For instance, "The economic crisis put "a major strain on" the national budget".

What's the difference between "a major strain" and "a minor inconvenience"?

"A major strain" implies a significant burden or stress that can have lasting effects, whereas "a minor inconvenience" refers to a small, temporary disruption that is easily managed and doesn't cause substantial difficulty.