as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
all it took was one hard stroke to knock the ball out of the tree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to caress
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
the young mother gently stroked the sleeping child's brow and then leaned over and kissed him
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to massage
to praise too much
a politician with a special gift for stroking fat-cat donors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stroke
Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 23 Feb. 2026
But any efforts to quell tanking in broad strokes ultimately would place luck at the rudder of draft positioning.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
Research shows the risk of stroke also rises this time of year, and strokes present differently than heart attacks.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Noun
Only a subset of people who were 70 or older and hadn’t had a stroke received the objective cognitive testing — which may not reveal the full picture around cognition.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 23 Feb. 2026
But any efforts to quell tanking in broad strokes ultimately would place luck at the rudder of draft positioning.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
Allen has created a hall of mirrors, then, in which we’re supposed to stroke our chins and perhaps wink-wink at Baum’s meta commentary about the dangers of confusing the artist with the man … But so what?
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
Research shows the risk of stroke also rises this time of year, and strokes present differently than heart attacks.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stroke
Noun
-
In a 6-3 decision on Friday, the court dealt a major blow to the president's economic agenda.—
Julia Cherner,
ABC News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
The 6-3 ruling is a major blow to Trump's economic policy agenda.—
Kristin Wright,
NPR,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The basis of the important therapy stems from studies showing that holding and caressing an animal provides benefits such as relaxation, lower blood pressure, decreasing anxiety, and increasing positivity, according to the news release.—
Dawn Giangiulio,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Williams knows how to humanize this bare-bones vocabulary, minutely adjusting the voicing of a chord or caressing the last of a set of recurring motifs with a regretful ritardando.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rosehip oil can be applied pure to clean, dry skin on both the face and body using a few drops massaged in gently.—
Beatrice Zocchi,
Vogue,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Start with a dry face, massage it in to loosen things up, then apply water to emulsify, and reach for a washcloth to get rid of any excess.—
Jessie Quinn,
StyleCaster,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
When cleaning, use a damp cloth for the first swipe, then go over it with a dry microfiber cloth to dry and buff the surface.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
-
During two recent wintry swipes in North Georgia, drivers largely abided by the directive to keep off the roads.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Sullivan patted Hafley on the arm.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The Teoritta Doll leverages cutting-edge animatronics technology to deliver lifelike expressions and interactive responses when guests gently pat her head.—
Kimberly Nordyke,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until slightly puffed and cracked, 11–15 minutes.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Feb. 2026
-
There are corsets, puffed sleeves and little old timey trinkets that speak of her and co-star Jacob Elordi’s bond.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Pitchers and catchers report This week, Albernaz gets a glimpse of his pitching staff and catchers, before the thump of an offensive lineup joins the workouts.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
For what felt like an eternity — but was really 20 minutes — the whole place was enveloped in an eerie silence, the only sound being the steady thump of techno-pop playing through the loudspeakers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After the election, Fried recalled how Bush had called Zapatero to congratulate him on his victory.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
After taking his skis off, Klæbo sat hunched over, staring into the snow, before standing up and congratulating his teammates and the rest of the finishers.—
Nathaniel Herz,
NPR,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stroke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stroke. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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