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

In a world hungry for authentic representation, Barnett’s work reminds us that liberation begins with visibility—one brushstroke, one clay pot, one boldly told story at a time. —Byron Armstrong, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025

Another one of our favorite modern wall clocks is this Japanese design that employs ash wood with graphic brushstrokes of black or white for contrast. —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2025

Through this approach, the film’s visual language is rich with meaning as its transforms everyday objects into echoes of the past, into brushstrokes of our constantly evolving self-portraits. —Travis Bean, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025

The actress stepped out in New York City wearing a billowy long-sleeve silk blouse with a brushstroke print and black wide-leg trousers with oversized front snap pockets and a D-ring belt. —Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 22 May 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