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\ ˈstrōk 
\
\stroked; stroking
Definition of stroke
(Entry 1 of 3)
2 : to flatter or pay attention to in a manner designed to reassure or persuade
stroke
nounDefinition of stroke (Entry 2 of 3)
1 : the act of striking especially : a blow with a weapon or implement
2 : a single unbroken movement especially : one of a series of repeated or to-and-fro movements
3a : a controlled swing intended to hit a ball or shuttlecock also : a striking of the ball
b : such a stroke charged to a player as a unit of scoring in golf
4a : a sudden action or process producing an impact
a stroke of lightning
b : an unexpected result
a stroke of luck the idea was a stroke of inspiration a master stroke of diplomacy
5 : sudden impairment or loss of consciousness, sensation, and voluntary motion that is caused by rupture or obstruction (as by a clot) of a blood vessel supplying the brain, and is accompanied by permanent damage of brain tissue
Note: Symptoms of stroke include numbness or weakness on one side of the body or face, confusion, impaired speech or vision, loss of coordination or balance, trouble walking, or severe headache.
— called also apoplexy, brain attack, cerebrovascular accident
— compare ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, transient ischemic attack6a : one of a series of propelling beats or movements against a resisting medium
a stroke of the oar
b : a rower who sets the pace for a crew
7a : a vigorous or energetic effort by which something is done, produced, or accomplished
a stroke of genius a brilliant diplomatic stroke
b : a delicate or clever touch in a narrative, description, or construction
8 : heartbeat
9 : the movement in either direction of a mechanical part (such as a piston) having a reciprocating motion also : the distance of such movement
10 : the sound of a bell being struck
at the stroke of twelve also : the specific time indicated by or as if by such a sound
12a : a mark or dash made by a single movement of an implement
b : one of the lines of a letter of the alphabet
at a stroke
: all at once
spent her savings at a stroke
stroke
verb (2)stroked; stroking
Definition of stroke (Entry 3 of 3)
1a : to mark with a short line
stroke the t's
b : to cancel by drawing a line through
stroked out his name
2 : to set the stroke for (a rowing crew) also : to set the stroke for the crew of (a rowing boat)
3 sports : to hit, kick, or shoot (a ball) with a smooth movement
stroke a putt stroked a single to left field
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Synonyms for stroke
Synonyms: Noun
- bang,
- bash,
- bat,
- beat,
- belt,
- biff,
- blow,
- bop,
- box,
- buffet,
- bust,
- chop,
- clap,
- clip,
- clout,
- crack,
- cuff,
- dab,
- douse
- [British],
- fillip,
- hack,
- haymaker,
- hit,
- hook,
- knock,
- larrup
- [dialect],
- lash,
- lick,
- pelt,
- pick,
- plump,
- poke,
- pound,
- punch,
- rap,
- slam,
- slap,
- slug,
- smack,
- smash,
- sock,
- spank,
- stinger,
- stripe,
- swat,
- swipe,
- switch,
- thud,
- thump,
- thwack,
- wallop,
- welt,
- whack,
- wham,
- whop
- (also whap)
Examples of stroke in a Sentence
Noun
He had a stroke last winter.
She has a strong backhand stroke.
He is ahead by two strokes.
She swims with long, smooth strokes.
the stroke of an oar
She knows the four basic strokes.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Finally, blood clotting triggered by the disease can cause real long-term effects, like diabetes, kidney failure, and even stroke.
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Andy Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Is the coronavirus really worse than the flu? And other frequently asked questions.," 2 Aug. 2020 Studies have shown that sulphurous mineral water can have promising therapeutic benefits, particularly in people with circulation difficulties ranging from varicose veins to stroke.
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Doctor Fix-it, The Denver Post, "What to know and where to go — Hot springs in Colorado," 14 July 2020 Symptoms range from weakness to stroke to paralysis to cognitive disabilities.
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Shari Rudavsky, The Indianapolis Star, "'Look how far you've come': For some COVID patients recovery takes weeks or months," 10 June 2020 Essentially, this engine is the 992-generation 911’s 3.0-liter flat-six, though Porsche bores and strokes it out to 4.0 liters and rips off the turbos.
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Connor Hoffman, Car and Driver, "Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman GTS Have Flat-Six Power Once Again," 15 Jan. 2020 Azure stroked it with a claw, and the egg crumbled away, leaving a brilliant green baby dragon sitting among the shards.
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cleveland, "Emerald Forest-wind: A story from Write About Now," 19 Nov. 2019 The lawsuit accuses her of stroking her hand across John Doe 1's lap toward his inner leg and caressing his chest and face.
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NBC News, "NFL player sues United Airlines, alleges woman sexually assaulted him on flight," 20 May 2020 MOBILE REGION Hannah Atwood, Spanish Fort (softball): Pitched a no-hitter with eight strikeouts and a walk, adding a two-run double in a win then stroked an RBI-triple in another victory.
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Dennis Victory, al, "Vote for the statewide high school girls spring sports Player of the Week March 9-14," 17 Mar. 2020 The second option, massages, can include everything from hair stroking to back kneading.
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New York Times, "Preparing for Birth Without Pain Medication," 18 Apr. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Olson also was hospitalized in 2019 after suffering a minor stroke.
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CBS News, "Lute Olson, Hall of Fame coach and Arizona icon, dies at 85," 28 Aug. 2020 Olson, who built Arizona into a national powerhouse and led the Wildcats to the school’s only national championship, died Thursday, 18 months after suffering a stroke.
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Connor Letourneau, SFChronicle.com, "How Lute Olson led Steve Kerr through some of his darkest moments," 28 Aug. 2020 Olson was hospitalized back in 2019 after suffering a minor stroke and was recently moved into hospice care, according to ESPN.
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Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE.com, "Hall of Fame Basketball Coach Lute Olson Dead at 85: 'A True Leader in Every Sense of the Word'," 28 Aug. 2020 The cause and place were not immediately disclosed, but he was hospitalized last year after suffering a stroke and was recently moved into hospice care.
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Washington Post, "Lute Olson, Hall of Fame basketball coach who led Arizona to NCAA title, dies at 85," 28 Aug. 2020 He had been seen publicly at Wildcats basketball games until suffering a minor stroke in February 2019.
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Marcus Fuller, Star Tribune, "Hall of Fame basketball coach Lute Olson dies at age 85," 27 Aug. 2020 Olson also was hospitalized in 2019 after suffering a minor stroke.
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John Marshall, Houston Chronicle, "Lute Olson, Hall of Fame coach, Arizona icon, dies at 85," 27 Aug. 2020 Daniels died at 83 in July after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke.
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Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, "Nickelback replaces fiddle with electric guitar in new 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' cover," 14 Aug. 2020 Country singer, songwriter, and musician Charlie Daniels died Monday after suffering a stroke.
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TheWeek, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," 7 July 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stroke.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for stroke
stroke
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of stroke
medical : a serious illness caused when a blood vessel in your brain suddenly breaks or is blocked
: an act of hitting a ball or the movement made to hit a ball during a game
golf : an act of hitting the ball that is counted as part of a player's score
See the full definition for stroke in the English Language Learners Dictionary
stroke
verb\ ˈstrōk \
\stroked; stroking
Kids Definition of stroke
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to rub gently in one direction
I stroked the dog's head.
stroke
nounKids Definition of stroke (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : the act of striking : blow the stroke of a whip
2 : one of a series of repeated movements (as in swimming or rowing)
3 : a sudden serious illness caused by the breaking or blocking of an artery in the brain
4 : the sound of striking (as of a clock or bell)
the stroke of midnight
5 : the hitting of a ball in a game (as golf or tennis)
6 : a sudden or unexpected example
a stroke of luck
7 : a single movement or the mark made by a single movement of a brush, pen, or tool
8 : a sudden action or process that results in something being struck
a stroke of lightning
9 : effort by which something is done or the results of such effort
It was a stroke of genius.
stroke
noun\ ˈstrōk \
\Medical Definition of stroke
: sudden impairment or loss of consciousness, sensation, and voluntary motion that is caused by rupture or obstruction (as by a clot) of a blood vessel supplying the brain and is accompanied by permanent damage of brain tissue
Note: Symptoms of stroke include numbness or weakness on one side of the body or face, confusion, impaired speech or vision, loss of coordination or balance, trouble walking, or severe headache. The most common type of stroke, ischemic stroke, results from a narrowed or blocked blood vessel, while hemorrhagic stroke results from a ruptured blood vessel. A very brief interruption of blood supply to the brain usually without lasting effects is called a ministroke or a transient ischemic attack.
… people at risk for stroke should be evaluated for surgery to open up blockages in the arteries of the neck.— Jay Siwek, The Washington Post, 22 June 1999 Partial paralysis and speech difficulties often follow these strokes.— Bruce Bower, Science News, 25 Feb. 1984 stroke survivors— called also apoplexy, brain attack, cerebral accident, cerebrovascular accident
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Time Traveler for stroke
The first known use of stroke was before the 12th century
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