brushstroke

noun

brush·​stroke ˈbrəsh-ˌstrōk 

: the configuration given to paint by contact with the bristles of a brush

also : the paint left on a surface by a single application of a brush or palette knife

—often used figuratively to describe the quality especially of a narrative or description

a story told in broad brushstrokes

Examples of brushstroke in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sculptures occupy corners like permanent installations; canvases with bold brushstrokes command attention in spaces that blend classic elegance with modern minimalism. —Amplified Content Studio, Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2025

There’s a slightly artistic vibe to it—almost like a loose brushstroke—but still relaxed enough to mix with whatever’s already on your sofa or bed. —Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 21 Nov. 2025

Museums frustrate the primal desire to touch the art — all thatsensuous marble and rippling brushstrokes, off-limits! —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 3 Nov. 2025

Wittenberg’s erotic art has the same open, gestural brushstrokes of her landscapes. —Grace Edquist, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for brushstroke

• awoke
• baroque
• bespoke
• colloque
• convoke
• evoke
• invoke
• keystroke
• kinfolk
• kinsfolk
• menfolk
• provoke