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
as in to delete
to show (something written) to be no longer valid by drawing a cross over or a line through it
if you make a mistake on the form, just stroke it out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stroke
Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
But a stroke of fate in James’ (Damian Hardung) family changes everything and James himself, of all people, brings her back from cloud nine to a harsh reality.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 11 June 2025
Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2025
After stroking a century at Perth in November as India captured the first Test, the legendary batsman then succumbed to uncertainty and the relentless probing of Pat Cummins’ team, scoring only 104 more runs in the next seven innings.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Noun
His putting stroke also didn’t help, missing short putts that could’ve gone down for par.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
But a stroke of fate in James’ (Damian Hardung) family changes everything and James himself, of all people, brings her back from cloud nine to a harsh reality.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 11 June 2025
Verb
Seetharama, who’s been practicing medicine for 30 years, said he’s been frustrated that treatments available to stroke patients up until now have only offered temporary improvements.
—Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2025
After stroking a century at Perth in November as India captured the first Test, the legendary batsman then succumbed to uncertainty and the relentless probing of Pat Cummins’ team, scoring only 104 more runs in the next seven innings.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stroke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stroke
Noun
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Khan feared that delaying his departure beyond the deadline might have resulted in his wife and children being hauled off to a police station along with him, which would have been a blow to his family’s dignity.—
Elena Becatoros,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025
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Losing Senga for an extended period would be a major blow for the Mets, but there's still reason to believe the team will explore trades for its pitchers even with him sidelined.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
Noun
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Thune ultimately abandoned plans to have an open amendment process to block the most controversial amendments, chief among them a credit card swipe fees bill sponsored by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS).—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
17 June 2025
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June 16, 2025 07:40 PM EDT Trump takes another swipe at Tucker Carlson President Donald Trump has taken another swipe at his former ally Tucker Carlson.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
Noun
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As its infectious message, hip hop hook, gentle-against-forceful thump, radiates further into the zeitgeist expect it be heard everywhere.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
15 June 2025
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The only noise was the low thump from a boombox in front of a boba shop.—
Kaitlyn Huamani,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025
Noun
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Overall, the technology industry took a hit in the last few years as macroeconomic conditions deteriorated and private capital contracted.—
Kate Drew,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
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News of the special Pride month menu has been a hit on social media, drawing customers.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
19 June 2025
Noun
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Those embarrassing losses with ownership sitting in the expensive seats were a big-time slap in the face to the decision makers.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
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The number of girl slaps exchanged between the governor and Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez over the state budget impasse.—
Pat Beall,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 June 2025
Noun
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Unlike most fruity orange sauces, the Pickled Prince version isn’t sugar-forward — kumquats have the perfect mixture of sweet punch and pucker to complement the habanero.—
Ahmed Ali Akbar,
Chicago Tribune,
18 June 2025
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The Limoncello and Simply Lemonade deliver the perfect citrus punch, while fresh mint adds that clean, luxe finish.—
Essence,
Essence,
17 June 2025
Noun
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Ty France smacked a high fastball off the wall in right field to drive in the Twins’ first run of the game, and Royce Lewis added an RBI knock later in fourth.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
11 June 2025
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McNeil’s winning hit Tuesday was his second RBI knock of the night.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
10 June 2025
Noun
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Then, the film falls with a thud, never to rise again.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 June 2025
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One struck a police cruiser with a thud, prompting a big cheer.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stroke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stroke. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.
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