keystroke

1 of 2

noun

key·​stroke ˈkē-ˌstrōk 

: the act or an instance of depressing a key on a keyboard

keystroke

2 of 2

verb

keystroked; keystroking; keystrokes

transitive verb

: keyboard

Examples of keystroke in a Sentence

Noun

He deleted all of my work with a single keystroke.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Anyone can now generate marketing materials, animations, even a passable news story with a keystroke. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 31 July 2026

The malware records keystrokes and can collect screen-lock credentials. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026

Verb

For example, Mindstrong was an early startup with an app that tracked taps, swipes, and keystrokes to identify digital biomarkers of cognitive function. — Gwendolyn Rak, IEEE Spectrum, 19 May 2024

Bernhardt’s report points to keystroke logging technology and webcams that can tell when a person goes off task as examples of tech that can keep track of people even when working from home. — Chase Difeliciantonio, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Nov. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1867, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1966, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for keystroke

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

Kids Definition

keystroke

noun

key·​stroke

-ˌstrōk

: the act or an instance of pushing down a key on a keyboard