strike 1 of 2

Definition of strikenext
1
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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2
3
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

4
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8
as in to possess
to cast a spell on the only way that she's going to get a man is if she strikes one

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

2
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5
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
Bolstered by weighty performances from Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Keira Knightley, the film dives into heavy themes of mortality and ethics with striking clarity. Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026 After being struck, the child stood up and walked to the sidewalk, where witnesses called 911. Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
This population has been reduced by vehicle strikes and by animals sustaining rodenticide poisoning over the past decades. Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 28 Jan. 2026 As the war grinds through another bitterly cold winter, Russian strikes hit an apartment block Wednesday on the outskirts of Kyiv, killing two people. Kamila Hrabchuk, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for strike
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strike
Verb
  • Together, the three systems enable continuous, adaptive whole-body autonomy — allowing humanoid robots to walk, carry, reach, and recover in real time.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
  • What kind of person would shoot a poet on the street and walk away?
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Plantar fasciitis affects many of my friends and family members.
    Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Why Omega-3s Might Support Depression Omega-3s affect the brain in several ways that could help explain their potential to lift depressive symptoms.
    Sarah Garone, Health, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • After being bumped to September for three straight years because of the NSCAR Street Race, the Taste of Chicago is reclaiming its longstanding dates in July, the city announced.
    Adam Harrington, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Now, it’s been bumped down to #2.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Journalist Don Lemon was released from custody Friday after he was arrested and hit with federal civil rights charges over his coverage of an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
  • But of all the spaghetti that got thrown at the wall, this is the one that hits for reasons that are totally orthogonal to politics and sort of Washington.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Back in 2019, Starbucks dismantled its two-tier rewards structure in an effort to broaden engagement among newer customers, but the company now argues that the simplified system failed to differentiate between casual users and its most frequent, and valuable, visitors.
    Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • This is how the architecture of accountability is dismantled.
    Binaifer Nowrojee, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • In severe cases, the virus can attack parts of the brain that control basic life functions like eye movement, heart rate and blood pressure, causing permanent damage.
    Michal Ruprecht, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Ukraine's air force said that Russia attacked overnight with one ballistic missile and 146 strike drones, 103 of which were shot down or destroyed using electronic warfare.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Again, the intention behind his decision to flip the puck deep and go for a change was impeccable, but there was another option there that might have allowed the Canadiens to possess the puck a bit longer.
    Arpon Basu, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
  • And doing so requires the resources, technology and expertise that many institutions do not possess.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The workers previously held a five-day walkout with marches and picket lines in rainy weather in October.
    Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Over the last two weeks, students at schools across Minnesota have held walkouts in protest of the immigration operation and Good's killing.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 23 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Strike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strike. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.

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