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

Mostly, Birney wants to remind us there is a world out there beyond the buttons and keystrokes, one worthy of exploration no matter how many bugs. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2026

Gamers can also fine-tune every keystroke of the keyboard using Cherry MagCrate software, adjusting actuation points and assigning multiple actions to a single key based on its press depth or for how long it is held down. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 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