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
Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 1 June 2026
Obesity also increases the risk of hypertension, stroke, certain cancers, sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, and osteoarthritis.
—Karen R. Studer, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026
CBS News, 3 May 2026
Last weekend, after Petteys stroked three doubles in a victory over Creighton, the Bluejays showed her the ultimate respect, walking her four times, three intentionally, during the remainder of the series at Burrill Family Field, UConn taking two of three.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Noun
Peabo Bryson, the Grammy Award-winning singer behind multiple R&B and Disney hits, has reportedly suffered a stroke.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 1 June 2026
Obesity also increases the risk of hypertension, stroke, certain cancers, sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, and osteoarthritis.
—Karen R. Studer, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026
Verb
Freddie Freeman stroked a two-out RBI single up the middle in the fifth inning to put the Dodgers ahead 3-0.
—CBS News, 3 May 2026
Last weekend, after Petteys stroked three doubles in a victory over Creighton, the Bluejays showed her the ultimate respect, walking her four times, three intentionally, during the remainder of the series at Burrill Family Field, UConn taking two of three.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stroke
Noun
-
Shutting down Logan would be another blow to the Lincoln area after the closures of Lincoln College and Lincoln Christian University, and other businesses and facilities over the years.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
-
Earlier in the day, the Marlins were dealt another blow to their rotation when it was announced that top prospect Thomas White is expected to miss the remainder of the season after suffering a left shoulder capsular sprain last month.—
Tyler Carmona,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Wilhelm enters the room, removes most of his clothing and gets into bed with her, slaps her, pushes her away and then caresses her face and cradles her.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
Grudda pushed Barkow's wheelchair through the zoo, her hands caressing her mother's shoulders or pointing out the animals.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While this is all occurring on your scalp and hair, your body is on a heated bed, and your body is getting massaged.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
-
Because of Malkin’s age, the one-year deal could include bonuses, which would help massage the AAV.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Once the storm passed, its backside took one last swipe.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
-
The group has also argued that lower swipe fees wouldn’t necessarily translate into lower prices, pointing to data that indicated prices didn’t drop significantly following a cap on some debit card fees in 2011.—
Shannon Pettypiece,
NBC news,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
After Munich this year, Shelton patted himself on the back.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
-
Bill de Blasio had campaigned against aggressive policing, particularly the city’s controversial policy of briefly detaining people and patting them down for weapons.—
Elizabeth Glazer,
The Atlantic,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Oprah's dress is equal parts airy and elegant, thanks to a half-button front, billowy pleated midi skirt, puff sleeves, and a belted waist.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
Vermiculite, a fine, puffed, gold flecks mica, which helps with drainage.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Soon after, hearing the thump of ball on metal gate, Badri stepped outside to check if his message had been heeded.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
Agents yelled from every direction, and the thumps of a news helicopter overhead were deafening.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Hurts did not change his description of their relationship when asked about it in his first news conference of the offseason and congratulated Brown on his wedding.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
In a brief speech after Qualls earned the endorsement, Demuth did not congratulate him.—
Jimmy Lovrien,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stroke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stroke. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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