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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of strokes
Jenavieve Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Jan. 2026
The junior notched 10 goals and seven assists this year, and was 3-for-3 on penalty strokes.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
There were about 25,000 fewer deaths from cardiovascular disease and strokes in 2023, compared to 2022, the most recent data available, the annual report released Wednesday says.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 22 Jan. 2026
Frigate birds soar in the hot sky and sunsets paint cloud edges in dramatic crimson strokes.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Act aggressively, now, and the nation can prevent and better control chronic disease, avert hundreds of thousands of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failures, and flatten healthcare inflation.
—Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
University of Cambridge View gallery - 4 images Speech impairment, known as dysarthria, is a very common consequence of strokes, affecting nearly half of all survivors.
—Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 21 Jan. 2026
The team says the findings could offer a potential medical blueprint for treating human strokes.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026
About 80% of 80-year-olds harbor such cancers, but die from heart disease, strokes, accidents — almost anything but prostate cancer.
—Howard Wolinsky, STAT, 21 Jan. 2026
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
Knead dough gently until nearly smooth, 10 to 12 strokes.
—Jenavieve Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Jan. 2026
The junior notched 10 goals and seven assists this year, and was 3-for-3 on penalty strokes.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
There were about 25,000 fewer deaths from cardiovascular disease and strokes in 2023, compared to 2022, the most recent data available, the annual report released Wednesday says.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 22 Jan. 2026
Frigate birds soar in the hot sky and sunsets paint cloud edges in dramatic crimson strokes.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Act aggressively, now, and the nation can prevent and better control chronic disease, avert hundreds of thousands of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failures, and flatten healthcare inflation.
—Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
University of Cambridge View gallery - 4 images Speech impairment, known as dysarthria, is a very common consequence of strokes, affecting nearly half of all survivors.
—Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 21 Jan. 2026
The team says the findings could offer a potential medical blueprint for treating human strokes.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026
About 80% of 80-year-olds harbor such cancers, but die from heart disease, strokes, accidents — almost anything but prostate cancer.
—Howard Wolinsky, STAT, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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
-
There were, like, broad clothing swipes, like, someone maybe was trying to destroy fingerprints.—
Sarah Prior,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
-
After a few fateful swipes, everyone’s lives begin to change.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Then Jennifer Tilly’s hand gently caresses Gina Gershon’s face from her cheek down to her chin.—
James Factora,
Them.,
26 Sep. 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
-
My father had said to me, My heart hurt more than my body—the flesh can take blows, the heart suffers them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
However, that good news comes after Johnson suffered political blows from an obstinate City Council opposition over the recent budget, on top of other losses for his progressive agenda.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The clip, shared by Sarah Ingle (@saraheingle), a dedicated dog fosterer, shows seven-month-old Cookie Crisps nestled in her arms while Ingle gently pats her bottom.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
As a matter of fact, pats on the back are probably very few and far between.—
Nour Rahal,
Freep.com,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Mia puffs up her body to look intimidating, as the googly-eyed statue stares back at her.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Located just 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver, Cypress Mountain is more of a commuter hill than a destination resort, but its terrain punches well above its weight.—
Brent Rose,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Feb. 2026
-
But one of the punches knocked Miller’s head backward, and his hairpiece popped upward from the front, revealing a large bald spot that covered most of his head.—
Isabel Yip,
NBC news,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Sandy praises every crew member for their growth, commitment, and performance.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Cassidy praises Sturm Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy coached in the B’s organization for 15 years, the last six-plus as head coach in Boston.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strokes. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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