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

The root cause of the disappointing guidance — a reduction in manufacturing capacity ahead of a big increase in demand for Intel’s central processing units — strikes me as a stunningly bad strategic decision. —

Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026 Bob The Drag Queen strikes a pose during press day for Moulin Rouge! —

Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026 The news this week that CPW employees are facing a variety of threats from radical elements in both groups of Coloradans strikes us as ironic sad — and frightening. —

The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026 But its opener strikes a more ominous note. —

Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026 The officer with the canister strikes the man near his head several times. —

Jack Brook, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2026 After an unseasonably warm Thursday, with highs hovering in the upper 40s, a brutal cold is expected to grip NYC before the winter storm strikes this weekend. —

Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026 When severe wind strikes Southern California, the results can be destructive and deadly. —

Zach Boetto, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026 That shift strikes me as familiar. —

Larry Magid, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026

Noun

The unrest entered its 12th day with general strikes spreading across major commercial centers and street clashes intensifying, particularly in western Iran. —

Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026 Season One concludes with the Texas Tech geology graduate abandoning a well crew after tragedy strikes, only to achieve rapid success in his personal and work endeavors. —

Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026 The strikes have left tens of thousands of people across the country without power or heating amid freezing winter temperatures. —

Kosta Gak, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026 However, strikes from 18 missiles and 16 drones were recorded at 19 locations across the country, the Air Force said. —

Morgan Winsor, ABC News, 9 Jan. 2026 But the opinion from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel justifying the strikes remains classified. —

Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026 Israel says the strikes have been in response to violations of the deal, but Palestinian health officials say scores of civilians have been among the dead. —

Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026 What do the strikes, arrests, and trial of Venezuela’s President mean for that country’s future? —

Ian Bremmer, Time, 8 Jan. 2026 Since the strikes began in September, at least 66 have been killed in 16 strikes in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean, according to the administration. —

Claudia Grisales, NPR, 5 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strikes

Verb

The abduction of Liam Conejo Ramos and his father—both of whom have pending asylum claims—was unfolding in the driveway of the family’s home, on a street where Granlund often walks her dog.

— Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
Occasionally a lobster mascot walks around.

— Jessica Hill, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026