# strait

/ˈstɹeɪt/ (US) · /stɹˈeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/strait
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. water passage

noun · CEFR B2

a narrow area of sea that connects two larger bodies of water.

For teachers: a narrow channel of water connecting two larger seas or lakes.

- The ship sailed through the narrow strait between the two islands.
- The Strait of Malacca remains one of the most important shipping lanes in the world, linking the Indian Ocean to the Pacific.

### 2. difficult situation

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a very difficult situation, especially one where you do not have enough money.

For teachers: a state of extreme difficulty, distress, or misfortune; almost exclusively used in the plural form 'straits'.

- The company was in dire straits after losing its biggest customer.
- Following the market crash, many small businesses found themselves in desperate financial straits, unable to secure the loans needed to stay afloat.

Usage: Usually appears in the plural form 'straits' and often follows the adjective 'dire'.

### 3. narrow or strict

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

narrow or very limited in space; also used to describe very strict rules.

For teachers: restricted in space or scope; narrow. In modern English, this sense is largely preserved in fixed expressions like 'straitjacket' or 'strait-laced'.

- The path through the mountains was strait and difficult to follow.
- The monk lived a strait life, confined to a small cell and following the most rigorous rules of his order.

Teaching tip: Modern students will mostly see this root in the words 'straitjacket' or 'strait-laced'. In those cases, it is often misspelled as 'straight'.

## Examples

- The ship sailed through the narrow strait at dawn.
- The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Europe from Africa.
- Control over the strategic strait has historically dictated the economic prosperity of the surrounding nations, as it serves as the primary artery for maritime trade between the two continents.

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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.