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
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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
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Recent Examples of stroke
Nashville Tennessean, 9 Oct. 2025
Certain service shutdowns in stroke care and reproductive health have raised concerns about a vacuum in care.
—Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Oct. 2025
Allison P. Davis, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
But Rivera stroked into center field to end the game.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Noun
Three major strokes and double brain surgery with a metal stent in your head will do that.
—Nashville Tennessean, 9 Oct. 2025
Certain service shutdowns in stroke care and reproductive health have raised concerns about a vacuum in care.
—Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
Wendy sits across from her and begins to stroke Lizzo’s palms with the tips of her aqua-and-pink acrylic nails.
—Allison P. Davis, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
But Rivera stroked into center field to end the game.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stroke
Noun
-
For years, the narrative has been that movies, in contrast to TV series, were in decline — casualties of a once-in-a-century pandemic that shuttered theaters and a double blow from prolonged industry strikes.—
Alejandro Rojas,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Advertisement Second, following Hamas's defeat, the IDF and intelligence agencies achieved impressive military accomplishments, including the blow dealt to Hamas, seizing the opportunity to destroy most of Syria's military capabilities—paving the way for the blow dealt to Iran.—
Ehud Barak,
Time,
10 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
-
Another Boras client, Cody Bellinger, was nearing the end of his second season in Chicago, which did not deliver as much thump as his MVP-level 2023 campaign.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
-
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
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 12 Oct. 2025.
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