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
Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 13 Sep. 2025
Uncontrolled hypertension can lead to more strain on the blood vessels, which could weaken the heart and lead to serious health problems like strokes, heart attacks, and kidney disease.
—Alice Park, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
The clip, shared by foster couple Katie and Tate on their account @katieandtatesfostermates, shows Dustee, a black dog with a white, spotty tummy—soaking up gentle head strokes before finally nodding off.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Now this cornerstone of prevention helps to avert heart attacks and strokes, which are far more risky and costly to treat.
—Zeynep Hasgül, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025
Although they’re typically associated with adults 65 and older, Fonseca is part of a growing trend where more strokes are occurring in younger people.
—Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
Then, in their first two head-to-head matches, Torrey Pines won by 16 and then 10 strokes.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025
In broad strokes then, views of the Court, like views on so many other central institutions, have shown significant erosion.
—Karlyn Bowman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Apply a base layer of detangling spray to the area, and use a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush to gently work at the mat, starting at the outer edges (closest to your ends, not your roots) and using small strokes.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025
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
Mia sat in a stool underneath a tent where a face-paint artist formed soft brush strokes into a purple flower on Mia’s cheek.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 13 Sep. 2025
Uncontrolled hypertension can lead to more strain on the blood vessels, which could weaken the heart and lead to serious health problems like strokes, heart attacks, and kidney disease.
—Alice Park, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
The clip, shared by foster couple Katie and Tate on their account @katieandtatesfostermates, shows Dustee, a black dog with a white, spotty tummy—soaking up gentle head strokes before finally nodding off.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Now this cornerstone of prevention helps to avert heart attacks and strokes, which are far more risky and costly to treat.
—Zeynep Hasgül, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025
Although they’re typically associated with adults 65 and older, Fonseca is part of a growing trend where more strokes are occurring in younger people.
—Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
Then, in their first two head-to-head matches, Torrey Pines won by 16 and then 10 strokes.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025
In broad strokes then, views of the Court, like views on so many other central institutions, have shown significant erosion.
—Karlyn Bowman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Apply a base layer of detangling spray to the area, and use a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush to gently work at the mat, starting at the outer edges (closest to your ends, not your roots) and using small strokes.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
-
Millennials are currently ruling the tech industry and clinging to their roles as the economy is rocked by uncertainty due to tariffs, inflation increases living expenses, and AI swipes jobs.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Deen also takes several swipes at her former detractors in the project, including fellow foodie and CNN travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain, who died by suicide in 2018.—
Gerrad Hall,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Zach Bryan and Gavin Adcock almost came to blows at a festival in Oklahoma.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
And the latest in the long line of big-name boxers to come to blows will be Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford who fight against one another on Saturday.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Penny pats Harry's snout and jumps at his face at home.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Aug. 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
-
According to reports, there were 12 punches thrown in the fight — all by Messier.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Most of the punches were blocked.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Our expert reviews of JBL headphones consistently praises the brand for balancing strong sound with everyday value, and this pair fits right into that category.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Tropp also praises the Mission Beach and Pacific Beach communities for their dining options, small businesses, open spaces and entertainment venues.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Broncos head coach Sean Payton regularly commends Lazzaro’s work, both in terms of on-field data and research, and also in the scouting and draft realms.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Touted as the second-highest fine ever levied by the board, many observers struggled to view it as anything but the gentlest of wrist slaps.—
DAVID AMSDEN,
Rolling Stone,
29 Aug. 2025
-
They were then categorized by behavior, including jumps, belly rolls, tail slaps, bow riding and even petting.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strokes. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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