brushstroke

noun

brush·​stroke ˈbrəsh-ˌstrōk How to pronounce brushstroke (audio)
: 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
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.
The four men are framed by brushstrokes that evoke railroad tracks. Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2026 Those lessons would surface in bold planes of planting, organic forms and curves that moved across the land with the authority of brushstrokes. Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 The four men are framed by brushstrokes that evoke railroad tracks. Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026 Webb just isn’t ready to say how his specific brushstrokes will transform the canvas. Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for brushstroke

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brushstroke was in 1879

Cite this Entry

“Brushstroke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brushstroke. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

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