stoke

verb

stoked; stoking

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 carKeith 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 The ban on gender-affirming care was part of a nationwide push to regulate the lives of transgender people and stoked fear in Missouri’s transgender community — prompting some to consider fleeing the state. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 The image, which was released to photo news agencies, was then swiftly recalled over signs of obvious editing—which only stoked more intrigue from the public. Sam Reed, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2024 Republican politicians continue to stoke this myth to argue in favor of limiting the welfare state. TIME, 21 Mar. 2024 Even more darkly, Pilkington believes that the U.S. government has frequently stoked popular belief in UFOs as a means of manipulating the public’s perception of its secret activities. Lucas Ropek / Gizmodo, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 Locals use Telegram channels to warn of soldier sightings and share videos of troops forcing men into their vehicles — stoking rumors of kidnappings. Serhiy Morgunov, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 Waymo already operates in San Francisco and Phoenix, where a series of recent incidents with robotaxis in both cities has further stoked existing safety concerns and evoked hostility. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Infectious disease outbreaks, like cholera or COVID, are common in conflict zones, as overcrowding in shelters and poor sanitation can stoke the spread of pathogens. Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024 The whole intention of the movie is to stoke the outrage. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stoke.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near stoke

Cite this Entry

“Stoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stoke. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on stoke

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