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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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

John Waters strikes a pose at the 2026 Mosswood Meltdown in Oakland, California on July 19. — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026 The series of intimate dispatches was widely credited for its courage and also for raising awareness of the disease, which strikes men far less often than women. — Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 July 2026 The Iranian missile strikes on Tel Aviv during the war with Israel sent many nesting pairs fleeing from the kindergarten site, Hahn says. — Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 19 July 2026 Massachusetts shouldn’t wait until a crisis strikes to ask whether the largest AI developers are taking these risks seriously. — Jesse Rothman, Boston Herald, 17 July 2026 On Thursday, three sources told Reuters that Iran has asked Yemen's Houthis to get ready to close the Red Sea oil route through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the United States strikes Iranian power infrastructure. — Frank Ahrens, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 Rivera allowed one hit on just over three scoreless innings, walking two and striking out three with 64 pitches, 39 of them strikes. — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 12 July 2026 There’s a difference between a historic hotel and a hotel that feels old, and the Faust strikes a careful balance between history and comfort. — Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 11 July 2026 There have been several explosions in an Iranian coastal province Thursday, following a fresh round of US strikes overnight, according to the semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr. — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 9 July 2026

Noun

Russian forces have increased the number of missile strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, likely as part of a push to exploit Kyiv’s shortage of ballistic missile interceptors. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026 Rollins brought up the Bloodline, prompting back-and-forth strikes from the two former brothers. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Trump has repeatedly threatened big attacks and then canceled them citing progress in talks — only for the diplomacy to be upended by the two sides resuming tit-for-tat strikes. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 3 Aug. 2026 And the group has been hit hard by a series of Israeli strikes, including one in August 2025 that killed its prime minister and nine members of his cabinet. — Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026 Another child said he was forced to carry out artillery strikes and beaten for disobedience. — Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 The Defense Department responded with strikes on Iranian military targets on July 29. — Justin Fishel, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 Iran war could drag on for months The US-Iran war will likely drag on for months, analysts predicted, as new strikes disrupted a tenuous pause and the conflict widened. — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 29 July 2026 Dubai has been working hard to reconstruct its tourism brand since Iran launched strikes across the Middle East earlier this year, with ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting the destination. — Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN Money, 28 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strikes

Verb

Griffin Conine and Heriberto Hernandez worked walks to open the frame before Marsee chased Senga with a two-run double to right.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2026
Servey regularly walks his 13-year-old Yorkie Scruffy through Lemon Hill Park, but said those walks have changed since Fan Fest ended.

— Eva Andersen, CBS News, 30 July 2026

Definition of walks

Verb

If a financial crisis affects the euro, the six European countries that don't use the euro will be spared from the brunt of it.

— Preeti Shivani, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Aug. 2026
Researchers have documented that weightlessness affects many parts of the digestive system, from the mouth to the intestines.

— Sundeep Venkatesan, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of affects

Verb

Once a victim crosses a jurisdictional line, everything that happened on the other side of it too often gets lost in the nowhere land of bureaucracy and red tape.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
The trail crosses Romania diagonally, running from the rural commune of Putna to the city of Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

— Gloria Liu, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026

Definition of crosses

Verb

When comets come around the sun, the dust emitted as the debris collides with Earth's atmosphere forms a trail that creates fiery, colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.

— Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 July 2026
In some organizations, aging infrastructure collides with new security requirements.

— Bob Venero, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of collides

Verb

Punk fought Rhodes off the top rope and hits flying elbow for a two-count.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
For buyers who simply want an affordable EV that drives well, charges quickly, fits into normal life, and doesn't require six figures of disposable income, the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt hits a sweet spot few competitors manage.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of hits

Verb

What this framework dismantles is a common and counterproductive myth—that friendships either spark instantly or are not worth pursuing.

— Wes Moss, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Economic incentives would be phased in as Tehran turns over nuclear material, dismantles nuclear facilities, and demonstrates a commitment to regional stability, the senior administration official said.

— Nik Popli, Time, 12 June 2026

Definition of dismantles

Verb

She has been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, an eye disease that causes vision loss, and lupus, a disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues and organs instead of fighting germs, according to court records.

— Chase Jordan July 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
The filmmaker has previously spoken about having myositis — a disease where the immune system attacks the muscles — which has significantly affected his mobility.

— Rino Lu, IndieWire, 28 July 2026

Definition of attacks

Verb

In that future, teams may still resemble those of today, only each possesses an AI teammate.

— Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Bringing together buyers, investors, and creators from around the world on one platform in Thailand – and seeing real business agreements emerge — proves that Thai content possesses genuine commercial potential.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 July 2026