as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
all it took was one hard stroke to knock the ball out of the tree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to caress
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
the young mother gently stroked the sleeping child's brow and then leaned over and kissed him
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to massage
to praise too much
a politician with a special gift for stroking fat-cat donors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of stroke
Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Dreja and McCarthy revived the band in 1992, with Dreja staying until a series of strokes forced him to retire in 2013, with Topham returning to replace him until 2015.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025
Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 7 Sep. 2025
Nonetheless, the study suggests that structured aerobic and resistance exercise can be safely offered to stroke survivors as early as two months post-stroke.
—New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Noun
His personal physician, Admiral Cary Grayson, kept the severity of the stroke hidden from Congress and the American people, while his wife, first lady Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, surreptitiously took charge of matters of state.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Dreja and McCarthy revived the band in 1992, with Dreja staying until a series of strokes forced him to retire in 2013, with Topham returning to replace him until 2015.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
But Rivera stroked into center field to end the game.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 7 Sep. 2025
Nonetheless, the study suggests that structured aerobic and resistance exercise can be safely offered to stroke survivors as early as two months post-stroke.
—New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stroke
Noun
-
Yes, the Seahawks entered the game short-handed in the secondary, then suffered another blow when cornerback Riq Woolen suffered a concussion in the third quarter.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Business is booming, but President Chris Kohnle worries the 80-year-old, family-run establishment could soon take a blow.—
Miranda Dunlap,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Then Jennifer Tilly’s hand gently caresses Gina Gershon’s face from her cheek down to her chin.—
James Factora,
Them.,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The Young Pope star was seen caressing Coan’s back and whispering in her ear.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When your shoulders ache or feel stiff, your first instinct might be to stretch or massage them.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, massage the area, do gentle stretches, or place ice or heating packs in 20- to 30-minute bouts on your body.—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Boston’s steely swipe The Yankees entered these playoffs as arguably the hottest team in the bracket.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
In today’s climate, every swipe of a card increasingly serves as an emotional release.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The clip, shared by Sarah Ingle (@saraheingle), a dedicated dog fosterer, shows seven-month-old Cookie Crisps nestled in her arms while Ingle gently pats her bottom.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Both teams patted the star wideout on the back after he was loaded onto the cart.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Lloyd evaded a diving Mahomes, Kareem Hunt and a streaking Tyquan Thornton for a huff-and-puff 99-yard interception return for a touchdown.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Tuck this polished sweater — which is designed with a modest neckline and puff short sleeves — into a pair of wide leg trousers with a leather belt and slingback heels.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The dramatic thump of the ship’s four electromagnetic catapults which shoot them into the sky is constant and can be heard throughout the ship.—
Matthew Bodner,
NBC news,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The Red Sox are in a good spot for their future, but their lineup clearly needs more thump.—
Tim Crowley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Fiala congratulated Babis and conceded defeat.—
Reuters 3 hr ago,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
-
After Swift’s engagement to NFL player Travis Kelce went public in August, local establishments such as Pursuit Spirits and Ten20 Craft Brewery congratulated the famous couple with cheeky Instagram posts.—
Amanda Hancock,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stroke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stroke. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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