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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of strokes
Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Each week will emphasize a few strokes and incorporate strategies for using them while playing.
—Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Tiger introduced himself to America by winning the 1997 Masters at age 22 by an astounding 12 strokes.
—Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
Scheffler finished fourth on the Masters leaderboard last year, three strokes behind Rory McIlory, who completed the career Grand Slam with a playoff win over Justin Rose.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
This day in sports history 1940 — Jimmy Demaret wins the Masters by four strokes over Lloyd Mangrum.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Golfers had a legitimate excuse for missing strokes on Easter when two earthquakes rattled opposite sides of the Holly Ridge Golf Links southeast of Archdale, North Carolina.
—Mark Price
april 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
The show uses oil-on-canvas matte paintings, paintbrush strokes on glass panes, and even live-action, practical models for some of the spaceships.
—Rafael Motamayor, IndieWire, 6 Apr. 2026
He was eventually diagnosed with metabolic strokes due to mitochondrial disease, a genetic disorder that prevents your cells from producing enough energy.
—Heather Gatcombe, STAT, 6 Apr. 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
The earliest paintings on view, produced while Duchamp was still a teenager, are pleasant, innocuous landscapes dominated by chunky strokes of green—Post-Impressionism lite.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Each week will emphasize a few strokes and incorporate strategies for using them while playing.
—Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Tiger introduced himself to America by winning the 1997 Masters at age 22 by an astounding 12 strokes.
—Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
Scheffler finished fourth on the Masters leaderboard last year, three strokes behind Rory McIlory, who completed the career Grand Slam with a playoff win over Justin Rose.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
This day in sports history 1940 — Jimmy Demaret wins the Masters by four strokes over Lloyd Mangrum.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Golfers had a legitimate excuse for missing strokes on Easter when two earthquakes rattled opposite sides of the Holly Ridge Golf Links southeast of Archdale, North Carolina.
—Mark Price
april 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
The show uses oil-on-canvas matte paintings, paintbrush strokes on glass panes, and even live-action, practical models for some of the spaceships.
—Rafael Motamayor, IndieWire, 6 Apr. 2026
He was eventually diagnosed with metabolic strokes due to mitochondrial disease, a genetic disorder that prevents your cells from producing enough energy.
—Heather Gatcombe, STAT, 6 Apr. 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
-
Lancôme’s Lash Idôle Curl Goddess Mascara gives you longer, more curled lashes in just a few swipes.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Workplaces have long surveilled their employees, from tracking badge swipes to keyboard strokes.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 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
-
But outside of these rare exceptions, Mario’s pugilism was quickly retired in lieu of hammer hits and kid-friendly blows.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
5 Apr. 2026
-
As a new generation of commanders rises within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps following recent military blows under Operation Epic Fury, analysts warn that this ideology may become even more entrenched.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
During the performance, the singer kneels down to hand Fox the award and pats his head before continuing on.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Inside the facility, Angela empties her pockets, a guard scans her with a metal-detection wand, pats her down and asks her to spread her legs.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 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
-
The 42-year-old Swanson overmatched Landwehr with a bevy of punches to the head before referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight with 54 seconds left in the opening round.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
This Midwestern city, which hosted the country’s first-ever rock concert in 1952, punches above its weight in everything from cuisine to the arts to parks, and is home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, often cited as one of Ohio’s top tourist attractions.—
Paul J. Heney,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Though Campbell keeps a low profile and doesn't post publicly on social media, the pro golfer praises his longtime love on Instagram whenever given the opportunity.—
Emily Krauser,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Bumble and Bumble Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner Allure praises this shampoo and conditioner set from Bumble and Bumble that promises to produce thickness.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strokes. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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