STRIKING Synonyms: 468 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'striking' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of striking are conspicuous , noticeable , outstanding , prominent , remarkable , and salient . While all these words mean "attracting notice or attention," striking applies to something that impresses itself powerfully and deeply upon the observer's mind or vision. // the region's striking poverty

Q: When is 'conspicuous' a more appropriate choice than 'striking'?

The meanings of conspicuous and striking largely overlap; however, conspicuous applies to something that is obvious and unavoidable to the sight or mind. // conspicuous bureaucratic waste

Q: When would 'noticeable' be a good substitute for 'striking'?

The synonyms noticeable and striking are sometimes interchangeable, but noticeable applies to something unlikely to escape observation. // a piano recital with no noticeable errors

Q: When could 'outstanding' be used to replace 'striking'?

While the synonyms outstanding and striking are close in meaning, outstanding applies to something that rises above and excels others of the same kind. // honored for her outstanding contributions to science

Q: When might 'prominent' be a better fit than 'striking'?

The words prominent and striking can be used in similar contexts, but prominent applies to something commanding notice by standing out from its surroundings or background. // a doctor who occupies a prominent position in the town

Q: When is it sensible to use 'remarkable' instead of 'striking'?

In some situations, the words remarkable and striking are roughly equivalent. However, remarkable applies to something so extraordinary or exceptional as to invite comment. // a film of remarkable intelligence and wit

Q: Where would 'salient' be a reasonable alternative to 'striking'?

The words salient and striking are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, salient applies to something of significance that merits the attention given it. // the salient points of the speech

striking 1 of 2

adjective

ˈstrī-kiŋ

Definition of striking next

as in noticeable

likely to attract attention you'd be amazed what a striking difference new wallpaper can make in a room

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in obvious

very noticeable especially for being incorrect or bad several striking contradictions in her argument

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

striking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of strike

as in walking

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 affecting

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 occurring (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 bumping

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 hitting

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 dismantling

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

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as in attacking

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

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as in possessing

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

blessing

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective striking differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of striking are conspicuous, noticeable, outstanding, prominent, remarkable, and salient. While all these words mean "attracting notice or attention," striking applies to something that impresses itself powerfully and deeply upon the observer's mind or vision.

the region's striking poverty

When is conspicuous a more appropriate choice than striking?

The meanings of conspicuous and striking largely overlap; however, conspicuous applies to something that is obvious and unavoidable to the sight or mind.

conspicuous bureaucratic waste

When would noticeable be a good substitute for striking?

The synonyms noticeable and striking are sometimes interchangeable, but noticeable applies to something unlikely to escape observation.

a piano recital with no noticeable errors

When could outstanding be used to replace striking?

While the synonyms outstanding and striking are close in meaning, outstanding applies to something that rises above and excels others of the same kind.

honored for her outstanding contributions to science

When might prominent be a better fit than striking?

The words prominent and striking can be used in similar contexts, but prominent applies to something commanding notice by standing out from its surroundings or background.

a doctor who occupies a prominent position in the town

When is it sensible to use remarkable instead of striking?

In some situations, the words remarkable and striking are roughly equivalent. However, remarkable applies to something so extraordinary or exceptional as to invite comment.

a film of remarkable intelligence and wit

Where would salient be a reasonable alternative to striking?

The words salient and striking are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, salient applies to something of significance that merits the attention given it.

the salient points of the speech

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 striking

Adjective

Apart from Labour’s losses, the most striking thing about the election results was how evenly the vote was distributed among Britain’s major political parties, of which there are now five. —

Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026 The restaurant’s bar and dining room is one of the most striking in the city. —

Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026

Verb

Certainly, the images themselves are striking and dramatic, defined by strong shadows and a dynamic sensibility, with bodies constantly in motion. —

Amy Reyes, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026 The Mustang was traveling west on Westinghouse Boulevard when the driver veered into oncoming traffic on the left, striking the Camaro, police said. —

Jeff A. Chamer may 14, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for striking

Recent Examples of Synonyms for striking

Adjective

Windows Central has tested the low latency profile available in test builds of Windows 11 and observed a noticeable increase in speed and responsiveness on the same hardware compared to the current public version of Windows 11 25H2.

— Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 12 May 2026
That difference is even more noticeable in real-world kitchens, where oils are often left at high heat for hours, Gruel said.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026