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

Relevance

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

Clark shot even-par 70 Sunday and finished at 17-under-par 263, three strokes better than runner-up Patrick Cantley. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2026 My ‘Harmony’ massage is inspired by Lomi Lomi—a traditional Hawaiian healing technique known for its continuous, flowing strokes. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026 That the film mostly pulls this off is testament to its formal precision and to a central pairing of actors, in Lavernhe and Lottin, who manage to find subtlety where broad strokes would seem to be called for. — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 Attributed to his season-long driving distance and accuracy, McIlroy has the statistical advantage, despite losing strokes around the green. — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026 My model is concentrated on the last 24 rounds played, and includes driving distance, strokes gained off the tee, strokes gained around the green, strokes gained putting, and strokes gained on par 3s longer than 200 yards. — Dennis Esser, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026 What joy there is in witnessing children learning to swim, their fears and struggling little bodies giving way to confidence and smoother strokes. — Michael McColly, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 The drug isn't approved for preventing heart attacks, strokes or extending life, but there's growing interest among experts in the field of cardiology and men's health in the potential preventive health role of tadalafil and similar medications. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 18 Aug. 2026 AnySharp knife sharpeners are designed for home chefs, culinary experts and knife enthusiasts to effortlessly restore nearly any knife, including serrated, with just a few light strokes. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 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

Their swipes at one another have escalated so much that the sitting president has threatened to take away O’Donnell’s citizenship.

— Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026
With fewer options to switch lanes in the roundabout, there are fewer opportunities for unsafe lane changes to result in side-swipes.

— Rose Evans August 16, Idaho Statesman, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of swipes

Verb

The Princess Diaries star smiles, caresses her belly, then ducks out of the frame.

— Redazione People, Vanity Fair, 19 June 2026
Those of us with a penchant for fashion have managed—not without effort—to put aside the knowing glances, caresses, and hugs to take in every detail of the look.

— Arancha Gamo, Glamour, 7 June 2026

Definition of caresses

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

During Monday’s press conference, Bessent sought to tamp down on criticism that the administration was pulling its punches.

— Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 24 Aug. 2026
Tea slushies, lemonades, fruit punches, and aguas frescas are confidently complete on their own; a splash of a spirit is an optional pairing rather than the standard offering.

— The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of punches

Verb

Nashville praises the family, but how exactly that baby gets there…well, you’re not supposed to talk about that.

— Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
Guest judge Willy Chavarria praises how Jeffrey’s outfit moved (my favorite thing about it), but the strength of Naheim’s tromp l’oeil effect snags him the win, immunity for the next challenge, and $20,000 from Viva.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2026