strike up

verb

struck up; struck up also stricken up; striking up; strikes up

intransitive verb

: to begin to sing or play or to be sung or played

transitive verb

1

: to cause to begin singing or playing

strike up the band

2

: to cause to begin

strike up a conversation

Examples of strike up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s something utterly tender about a play where characters don’t actually talk to each other, but spend most of their time searching for the courage to strike up conversations that just might might change, or even save, their lives. —David John Chávez, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026

Perhaps the most volatile split ripped the aforementioned Cassie and Maddy apart, after the former struck up a relationship with Maddy's ex, Nate (Jacob Elordi), much to the latter's dismay. —Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026

Previously positioned in Paris, Cooper went to Italy to strike up a new romance. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026

Feeling neglected by Les, Lindy has struck up a retaliatory affair with his colleague Richie (O-T Fagbenle), who mistakenly submits one of her students’ short stories to The New Yorker as her own. —Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1562, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for strike up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup

Kids Definition

strike up

verb

1

: to begin or cause to begin to sing or play

strike up the band

2

: to cause to begin

strike up a conversation