noun
strait
strayt
noun
1
A narrow stretch of water that connects two larger seas or bodies of water.
"Ships pass through the Strait of Gibraltar to enter the Mediterranean."
2
A difficult or distressing situation (usually plural: "dire straits").
"The company found itself in dire financial straits."
How to Use Strait
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA narrow sea channel, or a tight, difficult spot you're stuck in.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "straight" (not bent) — they sound identical but are unrelated in meaning.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
dire straits
the strait of
narrow strait
Word Forms
straiter comparative, straited past tense, straits plural, Straits plural, straits singular, straitest superlative
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Ships pass through the _____ of Gibraltar to enter the Mediterranean.
Etymology
From Old French "estreit," from Latin "strictus" ("drawn tight") — the same root as "strict."