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strafe

verb

ˈstrāf How to pronounce strafe (audio)
especially British ˈsträf
strafed; strafing

transitive verb

: to rake (ground troops, an airfield, etc.) with fire at close range and especially with machine-gun fire from low-flying aircraft
strafe noun
strafer noun

Examples of strafe in a Sentence

The planes strafed the town.
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.
He’s been ordered to strafe a food riot in Bakersfield, California, and kill anything that moves. T. M. Brown, New Yorker, 18 Nov. 2025 Nor have her sentences lost their capacity to circle and strafe their subjects, to fly above them, to feign disinterest for a clause or a paragraph before landing on them with comic force. Paul McAdory, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025 But Dallas’ pass D just got strafed by Russell Wilson, so Caleb Williams could find some open lanes, too. Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2025 Powerful straight-line winds that strafed Carmichael neighborhoods, toppling trees and sending roof shingles and patio furniture flying, blew in on the coattails of thunderstorms that struck the Sacramento area Tuesday. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for strafe

Word History

Etymology

German Gott strafe England may God punish England, German propaganda slogan during World War I

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of strafe was in 1915

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Strafe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strafe. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

strafe

verb
strafed; strafing
: to fire on at close range and especially with machine guns from low-flying airplanes
strafed the village
strafer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on strafe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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