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
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2026
Gina Kim and Yana Wilson teamed to win the Dow Championship on Sunday for their first LPGA Tour titles, closing with an 8-under 62 in best-ball play for a two-stroke victory over Hyo Joo Kim and Hye-Jin Choi.
—CBS News, 14 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
Learn to identify the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2026
Gina Kim and Yana Wilson teamed to win the Dow Championship on Sunday for their first LPGA Tour titles, closing with an 8-under 62 in best-ball play for a two-stroke victory over Hyo Joo Kim and Hye-Jin Choi.
—CBS News, 14 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
-
Emotionally, militarily, even symbolically, this is a devastating blow to the Black Queen and her cause.—
Sean T. Collins,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
-
When Lucerys refuses, Aemond chases Lucerys on his dragon, seemingly meaning to injure him rather than kill him, but his dragon, Vhagar, delivers a fatal blow to Rhaenyra’s son.—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
Verb
-
Kate could be seen reaching over to caress the back of Louis’s short blonde hair, showing off her iconic sapphire and diamond engagement ring.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
-
And short hair always feels so good once the temperatures climb and the humidity sets in; keeping your neck free allows the cool breeze of a blasting air conditioner to caress your skin.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Witt appeared to massage the inside of his knee and then, after being examined, remained in the game for the third out of the inning.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
-
To obtain the star’s glossy mane, massage a thin layer of the serum into your scalp twice daily.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
In the first quarter, Clark brought the ball up the floor and, after being fouled near the top of the key by the Dream's Jordin Canada, took a swipe at the ball in her hands.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
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Salicylic acid works deep within pores to tackle buildup, while lactic acid smooths rough texture and refines skin’s surface, leaving skin looking clearer and feeling smoother in just a few swipes.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Benji separated from Zack, patted the spot on the bed between them, and then opened up his arm as an invitation.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
18 June 2026
-
Next, apply a lipstick or lip stain with a matte finish—ideally patted on with your fingers—to finish it off.—
Margaux Anbouba,
Vogue,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Place puffed corn in a large 17x12x2-inch roasting pan.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 June 2026
-
And over the years, an increase in solar activity — space weather from the sun — has puffed up Earth's atmosphere to create more drag on Swift than expected, pulling it down from its initial orbit.—
Tariq Malik,
Space.com,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
While playing Pragmata, the thump of approaching robots had solid directionality, and the weapon blasts had a good amount of low-end force.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
14 June 2026
-
The driver’s side opens, releasing the thump of music and a tall, lean figure.—
Shyla Watson,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
The video has racked up over 115,000 likes and thousands of comments, with many congratulating the mom-to-be.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
-
I'mPhaedra Trethan, digging out my old Rod Brind'Amour Flyers jersey and congratulating the coach on his team's Stanley Cup Finals win.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stroke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stroke. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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