as in swipes
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 caresses
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 massages
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 strokes
Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 3 June 2026
Cantlay has gained strokes on approach in all 10 career visits to Muirfield, which is the most important for Jack's Place.
—Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
From there, Uskiwich's condition declined quickly, Shelton tells PEOPLE, as her cousin suffered a series of strokes.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026
Walpole secured the team championship with a cumulative score of 368 (plus-80), which was 17 strokes better than runner-up Hopkinton.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
To reach the semifinals, Eastern Michigan upset Texas, whose senior Farah O’Keefe had captured the individual national championship the day before after shooting 12-under par to win by three strokes.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
This makes many seniors far more susceptible to blood cancers, heart attacks, and strokes.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 May 2026
Delicate brush strokes created zebra stripes, leopard spots, and snake scales that blend harmoniously with this pearly white base.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 24 May 2026
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2026
For an artisanal twist, look no further than Ezcaray Matisse throw that looks as if Georgia O’Keeffe applied the paint brush strokes herself.
—Kristine Hansen, Architectural Digest, 8 Jan. 2026
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
In the video, the cat eventually curls up in a ball and continues purring as Li strokes her head.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Henry brushes it off as a nightmare; after Bug moves on, Beauchamp strokes the medallion and sings himself to sleep.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 22 Aug. 2025
In the town’s maternity ward, the only functioning facility of its kind for miles, Taisiya strokes Assol, her daughter born Sunday into a world where suddenly the risks of being in Sloviansk have multiplied.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
In metro Atlanta, the game of table tennis is helping people with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, and people who have had strokes.
—Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 3 June 2026
Cantlay has gained strokes on approach in all 10 career visits to Muirfield, which is the most important for Jack's Place.
—Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
From there, Uskiwich's condition declined quickly, Shelton tells PEOPLE, as her cousin suffered a series of strokes.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026
Walpole secured the team championship with a cumulative score of 368 (plus-80), which was 17 strokes better than runner-up Hopkinton.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
To reach the semifinals, Eastern Michigan upset Texas, whose senior Farah O’Keefe had captured the individual national championship the day before after shooting 12-under par to win by three strokes.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
This makes many seniors far more susceptible to blood cancers, heart attacks, and strokes.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 May 2026
Delicate brush strokes created zebra stripes, leopard spots, and snake scales that blend harmoniously with this pearly white base.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 24 May 2026
Verb
When Robbie first strokes the plush walls, her Cathy stares with the appropriate mix of awe and terror.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2026
For an artisanal twist, look no further than Ezcaray Matisse throw that looks as if Georgia O’Keeffe applied the paint brush strokes herself.
—Kristine Hansen, Architectural Digest, 8 Jan. 2026
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
In the video, the cat eventually curls up in a ball and continues purring as Li strokes her head.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Henry brushes it off as a nightmare; after Bug moves on, Beauchamp strokes the medallion and sings himself to sleep.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 22 Aug. 2025
In the town’s maternity ward, the only functioning facility of its kind for miles, Taisiya strokes Assol, her daughter born Sunday into a world where suddenly the risks of being in Sloviansk have multiplied.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strokes
Noun
-
Maxwell Bowman’s projection and video design are sharply on point, with clean and clear swipes and transitions that are the lifeblood of any live production.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
Take a clean, dry microfiber cloth and wipe down the shower tiles, working in long swipes.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
And through all this, Saariaho’s elaborately beautiful orchestration scintillates, jabs, caresses, and swerves, giving all that vivid misery a sheen of lyric glamour.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Also starring Jack Palance and Fritz Lang, the behind-the-scenes drama about the making of a movie begins with Bardot lying nude on a bed as her husband (Michel Piccoli) caresses and praises her body.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The center also has hydrotherapy chairs where athletes can lie as a jet of water, similar but much stronger than the jets in a jacuzzi, massages them.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 Nov. 2025
-
In a viral video shared on Instagram last Sunday under the username @whiskeytoller, the gray kitty can be seen hanging around his brother, Oakley, as his mom massages the injured area, doing his best to show his love and support.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
From there, the two schools traded blows until intermission.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
2 June 2026
-
According to the coroner, there was evidence of nine blows to the victim’s head and neck.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Mama pats Rafa’s head then ruffles his hair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Tuanzebe buries his head in Bakambu’s neck and pats his back repeatedly.—
Franklin Leonard,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
With its telltale cone shape, the northernmost of Sicily's Aeolian Islands is home to a volcano that puffs on a near-constant basis.—
Elizabeth Heath,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Mar. 2026
-
But The Bagel Nut Duo, chocolate croissants, yellow sheet cake, and a bag of Cacio e Pepe puffs to eat your feelings about yet another recall.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Rhodes peppered Gunther with punches, a bionic elbow and a Pedigree for a nearfall.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Stockstill was throwing punches, but not connecting.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Anything Oprah repeatedly praises immediately piques my interest, but even more so when her favorites are podiatrist favorites.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
30 May 2026
-
Environmental group praises acquisition Environmental advocates hailed the acquisition as a milestone for Hill Country preservation.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strokes. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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