# strainer

/stɹˈeɪnɐ/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/strainer
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

a kitchen tool with small holes that lets liquid pass through but holds back solid pieces. You use it for tea, pasta, or juice.

For teachers: a perforated utensil for separating solids from liquids by passing the mixture through mesh or small holes.

## Examples

- She pours the tea through a small strainer.
- He rinses the cooked pasta by pouring it into a strainer in the sink.
- The bartender shakes the cocktail with ice and then pours it through a fine strainer to catch every fragment before serving.

## Synonyms

sieve, filter, colander

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.