STROKES Synonyms: 170 Similar and Opposite Words

strokes 1 of 2

noun

plural of stroke

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

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strokes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of stroke

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

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 show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of strokes

Noun

The Spanish golfer was leading by two strokes on 14-under par when Saturday’s play at the DP World India Championship was suspended because of fading light, with most of the field yet to finish their third round. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 One of the many clever strokes in Andrew O’Hagan’s 2024 novel Caledonian Road was casting his floundering, public intellectual hero as the author of a best-selling biography of Johannes Vermeer. — Susan Tallman, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026 Similarly, people who have known brain aneurysms, prior strokes or serious neurological conditions should consult their physicians before going on these rides. — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026 Some studies have shown that following high-protein diets can help burn extra calories, Aziz said, but consuming too much protein can increase the risk of kidney stones, heart attacks and strokes. — Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Magellan launched in 1989 and ended its mission in 1994, revealing the broad strokes of Venus’ landscape for the first time, but with only enough resolution to resolve features the size of a football field or larger. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026 In broad, romantic strokes, Diotima is Scott’s ultimate muse. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026 The two valves must then pass one another midway through their strokes, briefly deforming to squeeze past each other before resuming their pumping roles. — Mike McRae 12, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026 Alex was fit and healthy, even training for the London Marathon, before his strokes. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 13 Oct. 2026

Verb

The young woman on the left strokes her hair and tells her not to be nervous. — Anna Griffin, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 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

Users can switch back to the original layout, Narasimhan says, and Reels will be unmuted once a user swipes or clicks into a video.

— Mia Sato, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026
Fair warning, these are exactly the kind of candy a parent spots in a kid’s trick-or-treat bag and swipes as candy tax.

— Danielle Bouchard, Martha Stewart, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of swipes

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

Definition of massages

Noun

However, this is a stellar opportunity to dig into excellent, authentic Thai dishes (no punches held on sour or spice), and the Thai Wok Omelet with blue crab and morning glory at breakfast is exceedingly memorable.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
The fight took a physical toll on LaPenna The physical side of the fight became pretty clear once LaPenna started trading punches with the robots.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of punches

Verb

The editorial praises the Shedd for trying to save the whales in this time of crisis, even though the animals had a record of previous poor living conditions and dubious care.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Sandy praises her crew for performing efficiently under pressure, and gives out the $1,807 each of them earned from a $23,500 tip.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026