as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
all it took was one hard stroke to knock the ball out of the tree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to caress
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
the young mother gently stroked the sleeping child's brow and then leaned over and kissed him
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to massage
to praise too much
a politician with a special gift for stroking fat-cat donors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stroke
ABC News, 8 June 2026
The most serious of them, heat stroke, is a medical emergency that can cause disability or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 7 June 2026
Chiara Barzini, Vogue, 9 May 2026
Freddie Freeman stroked a two-out RBI single up the middle in the fifth inning to put the Dodgers ahead 3-0.
—CBS News, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Noun
That could indicate something more serious, like heat stroke.
—ABC News, 8 June 2026
The most serious of them, heat stroke, is a medical emergency that can cause disability or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 7 June 2026
Verb
On that bed my mother would stroke my hair and hands.
—Chiara Barzini, Vogue, 9 May 2026
Freddie Freeman stroked a two-out RBI single up the middle in the fifth inning to put the Dodgers ahead 3-0.
—CBS News, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stroke
Noun
-
The rookie took a deep breath, settled into his stance and watched as Houston’s pitcher, Enyel De Los Santos, attempted to deliver the final blow.—
Latif Love
June 14,
Kansas City Star,
14 June 2026
-
Star third baseman José Ramírez broke a bone in his left hand on a swing Saturday and will be sidelined for an indefinite period, a massive blow to the two-time defending AL Central champions.—
Tom Withers,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Those of us with a penchant for fashion have managed—not without effort—to put aside the knowing glances, caresses, and hugs to take in every detail of the look.—
Arancha Gamo,
Glamour,
7 June 2026
-
Wilhelm enters the room, removes most of his clothing and gets into bed with her, slaps her, pushes her away and then caresses her face and cradles her.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Add chicken, seal bag, and massage to coat chicken.—
Emily Teel,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 June 2026
-
Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and gently massage the chicken to evenly coat with the marinade.—
Lexi Harrison,
Midwest Living,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
However, the thorough profiles encourage you to resist the urge to mindlessly swipe.—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
-
The secret is to work from the top down and dry the rubber blade after each swipe.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The one-sided conversation ended with Hocevar patting Wallace on the shoulder — defusing the tension while offering little remorse.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
-
The guard then patted Clark on the shoulder.—
Ryan Gaydos OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
In contrast, eating refined grains like white bread, puffed rice, or white rice might increase inflammation and make your joints hurt more.—
Lana Barhum,
Verywell Health,
12 June 2026
-
The ring of pastry was crisp and impressively puffed, like a peacock’s display of courtship.—
The Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
The driver’s side opens, releasing the thump of music and a tall, lean figure.—
Shyla Watson,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
-
The usual thump of a foot hitting a soccer ball filled the air Wednesday at the Compass Minerals National Performance Center.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Riquelme congratulated Pérez and accepted the result.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
-
Glashow passed the mic to Rosenthal, who began by congratulating director Quinn Whitney Wilson for the Netflix acquisition of the Tribeca Festival world premiere and her directorial doc debut, Jean-Michel Basquiat.—
Abbey White,
HollywoodReporter,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stroke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stroke. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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