strike 1 of 2

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as in to walk
to refuse to work in order to force an employer to meet demands the union is calling for its members to strike until the mining company agrees to meet safety standards

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to occur (to)
to enter the mind of it struck her later that no one at the bank had asked for identification

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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strike

2 of 2

noun

1
as in walkout
a work stoppage by a body of workers intended to force an employer to meet their demands the nurses will go on strike tomorrow unless they're finally given a pay raise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in accident
an unexpected benefit or advantage resulting from the uncertain course of events she's made one strike after another since she began speculating in real estate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb strike differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of strike are affect, impress, influence, sway, and touch. While all these words mean "to produce or have an effect upon," strike, similar to but weaker than impress, may convey the notion of sudden sharp perception or appreciation.

struck by the solemnity of the occasion

Where would affect be a reasonable alternative to strike?

The meanings of affect and strike largely overlap; however, affect implies the action of a stimulus that can produce a response or reaction.

the sight affected her to tears

When can impress be used instead of strike?

While the synonyms impress and strike are close in meaning, impress stresses the depth and persistence of the effect.

only one of the plans impressed him

When might influence be a better fit than strike?

The words influence and strike are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, influence implies a force that brings about a change (as in nature or behavior).

our beliefs are influenced by our upbringing

In what contexts can sway take the place of strike?

The synonyms sway and strike are sometimes interchangeable, but sway implies the acting of influences that are not resisted or are irresistible, with resulting change in character or course of action.

politicians who are swayed by popular opinion

When is touch a more appropriate choice than strike?

The words touch and strike can be used in similar contexts, but touch may carry a vivid suggestion of close contact and may connote stirring, arousing, or harming.

plants touched by frost
his emotions were touched by her distress

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of strike
Verb
The barrage led Israel’s defense minister to overtly threaten Iran’s supreme leader. Israel, meanwhile, struck Iran’s heavy water reactor, part of the country’s nuclear program, which its government insists is meant for peaceful purposes only. Elena Becatoros, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025 Experts and citizens say that the government was most likely throttling internet access to prevent people from sharing information about where Israel had struck and for fear of Israeli cyberattacks. Arkansas Online, 20 June 2025
Noun
Israeli officials say 24 people have been killed in Iranian strikes in Israel, and more than 1,000 wounded. Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 21 June 2025 Roughly 2,000 state guards who refused to return to work during the strike were fired, causing a staffing shortfall that forced state prison authorities to decline to accept new admissions — in turn, causing the jail population to rise. Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for strike
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strike
Verb
  • If Dmitry Orlov walks as a free agent, maybe Carolina can maximize Miller’s game.
    Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 17 June 2025
  • Refrain from entering water that may have electricity in it and avoid walking through floodwaters.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • The ceremony also featured people affected by overturning the ban.
    David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2025
  • But that timing could create legal roadblocks, according to Pardo, because the term limits proposal would be on the same ballot as candidates who would be affected by it.
    Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • Candy and Allan bonded after bumping into each other at a church volleyball game.
    Jessica Sager, People.com, 13 June 2025
  • The workers are non-unionized and do not have bumping rights, according to the company’s letter, which is signed by a corporate adviser from Harney Partners.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 11 June 2025
Verb
  • If approved, the settlement would be among the largest in a wave of lawsuits over the past decade as governments and others sought to hold drugmakers, wholesalers and pharmacies accountable for the opioid epidemic that started rising in the years after OxyContin hit the market in 1996.
    Geoff Mulvihill, Fortune, 18 June 2025
  • One eyewitness, Mohammed Abu Abed, said that a group of people was hit by an airstrike.
    Kara Fox, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • Your president, your Supreme Court and your Republican Congress have allowed DOGE to dismantle all the privacy safeguards in these agencies that once protected our most personal information from being made public.
    Sal Recchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 June 2025
  • These meetings take Oceane on a journey fighting a criminal network that is dismantling buses across European borders, leading to a dangerous late coming-of-age.
    Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • Diddy's alleged reaction to public release of his attack on Cassie Ventura Jane's testimony gave the jury insight into how Diddy reacted when surveillance footage of the rapper attacking Cassie Ventura went public in May 2024.
    Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2025
  • When Iran attacked Israel in 2024 with a barrage of over 300 missiles and drones, around 99% were successfully stopped.
    David Hambling, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • No monarch ever actually possessed a divine touch (or donkey ears), but historical records indicate at least two men with the name Midas oversaw the Phrygian kingdom during the first millennium BCE.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 12 June 2025
  • In the late 1800s, two child psychologists coined the term only child syndrome to describe the negative traits that their research showed only children often possess, including being spoiled, selfish, maladjusted, and anti-social.
    Liz Hammond, Vogue, 11 June 2025
Noun
  • Later in the show, the team discussed skipping practice or staging a walkout to put pressure on Cowboys management, but ultimately decided against it, McLean told TIME.com.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
  • Recording artist and founding investor Becky G read that message from the field before player walkouts.
    Meg Linehan, New York Times, 15 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Strike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strike. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

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