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
-
At that pace, even a tiny micrometeoroid has the ability to impart a significant kinetic blow upon striking a spacecraft en route to the moon, with potentially disastrous results for the astronaut crew inside.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
7 June 2026
-
Sánchez had the big blow with a two-run shot.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 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
-
While this is all occurring on your scalp and hair, your body is on a heated bed, and your body is getting massaged.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
-
Because of Malkin’s age, the one-year deal could include bonuses, which would help massage the AAV.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Once the storm passed, its backside took one last swipe.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
-
The group has also argued that lower swipe fees wouldn’t necessarily translate into lower prices, pointing to data that indicated prices didn’t drop significantly following a cap on some debit card fees in 2011.—
Shannon Pettypiece,
NBC news,
1 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
-
Oprah's dress is equal parts airy and elegant, thanks to a half-button front, billowy pleated midi skirt, puff sleeves, and a belted waist.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
Vermiculite, a fine, puffed, gold flecks mica, which helps with drainage.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
29 May 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 12 Jun. 2026.
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