There was a strained silence between them that seemed end less.

He spoke more to break the strained silence than anything else.

There was a strained silence for several minutes after he left.

And all the while she had tried to think of some way to ease the strained silence between them.

I put just enough spin on the last three words that the response was a strained silence.

There was a moment of strained silence, each member at the table thinking his own thoughts.

For a moment the two walked on in a strained silence.

The other members of the party stood about in a strained silence.

They could feel the eyes of all the Court upon them in the continuing strained silence, but did their best not to show it.

A strained silence settled over the front seat of the car.