stoke

verb

stoked; stoking
Synonyms of stokenext

transitive verb

1
: to poke or stir up (a fire, flames, etc.) : supply with fuel
2
: to feed abundantly
3
: to increase the activity, intensity, or amount of
… limiting the number of cars available … will help stoke demand for the car.Keith Naughton

intransitive verb

: to stir up or tend a fire (as in a furnace) : supply a furnace with fuel

Examples of stoke in a Sentence

The engineer stoked the coals. The new ad campaign has helped to stoke sales. Poor revenue figures have stoked concerns about possible layoffs.
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.
Analysts differed regarding the extent of concern about AI stoked by the tech selloff. Max Zahn, ABC News, 23 June 2026 Traders remained in a buoyant mood after news that the two sides had paused their conflict, which had sent energy costs soaring and stoked inflation. Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 22 June 2026 This is an agiary, a Zoroastrian place of worship for India’s Parsi community, where priests in white robes stoke a sacred flame around the clock and recite ancient Avestan prayers that have survived three millennia. Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 21 June 2026 Poland stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of Warsaw’s top honor, a decision that stoked tensions between Ukraine and one of the country’s staunchest supporters in its battle against Russia’s full-scale invasion. David L. Stern, Washington Post, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for stoke

Word History

Etymology

Dutch stoken; akin to Middle Dutch stuken to push

First Known Use

1683, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stoke was in 1683

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stoke. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

stoke

verb
stoked; stoking
1
: to stir up or tend (as a fire)
2
: to supply (as a furnace) with fuel
3
: to feed plentifully
stoker noun

Medical Definition

stoke

noun
: the cgs unit of kinematic viscosity being that of a fluid which has a viscosity of one poise and a density of one gram per cubic centimeter

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