Strained at present? (5)
I believe the answer is:
tense
This clue is a double definition.
'strained' is the first definition.
('tense' can be similar in meaning to 'strained')
'present?' is the second definition.
(present is a kind of tense)
'at' is the link.
(Other definitions for tense that I've seen before include "Anxious, nervous" , "Taut, strained" , "Could be present" , "Suffering from strain" , "Under emotional strain" .)