stoke

verb

stoked; stoking
Synonyms of stokenext

transitive verb

1
: to poke or stir up (a fire, flames, etc.) : supply with fuel
2
: to feed abundantly
3
: to increase the activity, intensity, or amount of
… limiting the number of cars available … will help stoke demand for the car.Keith Naughton

intransitive verb

: to stir up or tend a fire (as in a furnace) : supply a furnace with fuel

Examples of stoke in a Sentence

The engineer stoked the coals. The new ad campaign has helped to stoke sales. Poor revenue figures have stoked concerns about possible layoffs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Investigators indict Yoon on additional charges of ordering drone flights over North Korea in a deliberate bid to stoke tensions and justify his plans to declare martial law. ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026 Microsoft’s shares also plummeted after stoking fears that a return on AI investment may be even further off than expected. Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 19 Feb. 2026 The prospect of conflict in Iran has stoked nerves about potential disruptions to the global oil supply and a corresponding surge in oil prices. John Towfighi, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026 The beginning of the Lenten season this year comes at a precarious time for Catholics nationwide, as federal immigration raids continue to tear through American cities and stoke a sense of fear in many immigrant communities. Julianna Lozada, Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stoke

Word History

Etymology

Dutch stoken; akin to Middle Dutch stuken to push

First Known Use

1683, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stoke was in 1683

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stoke. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

stoke

verb
stoked; stoking
1
: to stir up or tend (as a fire)
2
: to supply (as a furnace) with fuel
3
: to feed plentifully
stoker noun

Medical Definition

stoke

noun
: the cgs unit of kinematic viscosity being that of a fluid which has a viscosity of one poise and a density of one gram per cubic centimeter

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