STRIKES Synonyms: 471 Similar and Opposite Words

strikes 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of strike

as in walks

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

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Relevance

as in affects

to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response we were struck by the willingness of total strangers to go out of their way to help us

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as in occurs (to)

to enter the mind of it struck her later that no one at the bank had asked for identification

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as in collides

to come into usually forceful contact with something the thump of hailstones striking the cars in the parking lot

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as in hits

to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner the driver of the car behind me applied his brakes too late and struck my car from the rear

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as in dismantles

to take apart the stagehands struck the sets the morning after the play closed

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as in attacks

to take sudden, violent action against a rattlesnake strikes its prey with lightning speed

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as in possesses

to cast a spell on the only way that she's going to get a man is if she strikes one

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blesses

strikes

2 of 2

noun

plural of strike

as in walkouts

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

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as in assaults

the act or action of setting upon with force or violence the first strike was directed at a munitions warehouse

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as in disadvantages

a feature of someone or something that creates difficulty for achieving success kids born into poverty already have a strike against them

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as in collisions

a forceful coming together of two things the strike of a hammer against a nail always has a satisfying sound when you're building something yourself

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as in accidents

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

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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 strikes

Verb

There’s Staud’s pretty poplin style that looks effortless with sleek strappy sandals and a floppy sun hat, or Merlette’s artful wrap dress that strikes a subtle statement on date nights and post-work cocktail hours alike. —

Laura Jackson, Vogue, 11 May 2026 This two-piece set, which includes a vest and trousers, strikes the right balance between put-together and fashion-forward. —

Rebecca Shinners, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2026 The three drone strikes south of Beirut marked another escalation since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect on April 17. —

Arkansas Online, 10 May 2026 Critics, meanwhile, have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes. —

CBS News, 9 May 2026 The three drone strikes south of Beirut marked another escalation since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect April 17. —

Bassem Mroue, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026 Singer-songwriter Mya strikes a pose in a Canadian tuxedo at the SiriusXM Studios in New York City on May 6. —

People Staff, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026 Critics, meanwhile, have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes. —

ABC News, 8 May 2026 This generation’s suspension tuning strikes a decent balance between daily drivability and truck-readiness. —

New Atlas, 3 May 2026

Noun

However, Samsung's workers' union disputed the impact of the strikes, saying in a statement that previous production pauses had occurred for equipment inspection, maintenance and process adjustments. —

Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 May 2026 The attack, the largest and most deadly to target the Russian capital region since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, showed Kyiv’s increasing ability to carry out long-range strikes. —

Natalia Abbakumova, Washington Post, 17 May 2026 President Volodymyr Zelensky called the long-range strikes ‘entirely justified’ retaliation for Russian assaults on Kyiv, as Moscow reported intercepting more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones over its territory and occupied Crimea. —

Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026 And since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz more than two months ago in response to US-Israeli strikes on the country, the number of emergency calls the UKMTO receives has skyrocketed. —

Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 17 May 2026 The regime was historically weak at the moment of these strikes. —

CBS News, 17 May 2026 His visits this year have been jam-packed with news, from announcing the capture of Venezuela's then-president Nicolás Maduro and strikes on Iran. —

Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 17 May 2026 The drone strikes killed a woman in her house in Khimki, two men in the Pogorelki village, and one man in a truck in the Belgorod region, the outlet said. —

Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 17 May 2026 An enraged Fatu laid into Reigns with a handful of falling headbutts and strikes. —

Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strikes

Verb

With two outs already recorded in the inning, Rodón surrendered a double to Carson Benge before issuing walks to Bo Bichette and Juan Soto.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 17 May 2026
The towels activate instantly with water -- just wet, wring, and shake for a refreshing cool, ideal for workouts, commutes, sports, dog walks or hot flashes.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 May 2026