1
as in caressing
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
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2
as in massaging
to praise too much
a politician with a special gift for stroking fat-cat donors
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Recent Examples of stroking
In the black-and-white video, MGK could be seen holding his baby daughter's hand, stroking her fingers.
—
Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
At one point Eliot entered the TV room and found Abby with her head on Claire’s lap, Claire stroking her hair.
—Literary Hub, 25 Nov. 2025
At first, wishes were made on the unbroken bones of the furcula by gently stroking them.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025
In the space of a couple of hours, each judge plowed their way through at least 40 cheeses — sniffing, stroking, crumbling, and finally, tasting to arrive at a score.
—Barry Neild, CNN Money, 13 Nov. 2025
Sometimes just stroking the ball to the other field, as Andres Gimenez did to drive in a run, or rolling one through the hole as Addison Barger did for an RBI in that inning, works just as well.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
One game, especially one so dominated by the defense, certainly isn’t enough to decide whether this is even an issue, but noted QB whisperer O’Connell has to be stroking his chin.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 22 Sep. 2025
But Ethan’s out there getting loose and stroking it.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 20 Sep. 2025
According to the pages labeled as court exhibits, Priscilla rushed to her daughter’s bedside and was holding her hand, stroking her face, and telling her she was loved as family members gathered.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
At one point Eliot entered the TV room and found Abby with her head on Claire’s lap, Claire stroking her hair.
—Literary Hub, 25 Nov. 2025
At first, wishes were made on the unbroken bones of the furcula by gently stroking them.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025
In the space of a couple of hours, each judge plowed their way through at least 40 cheeses — sniffing, stroking, crumbling, and finally, tasting to arrive at a score.
—Barry Neild, CNN Money, 13 Nov. 2025
Sometimes just stroking the ball to the other field, as Andres Gimenez did to drive in a run, or rolling one through the hole as Addison Barger did for an RBI in that inning, works just as well.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
One game, especially one so dominated by the defense, certainly isn’t enough to decide whether this is even an issue, but noted QB whisperer O’Connell has to be stroking his chin.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 22 Sep. 2025
But Ethan’s out there getting loose and stroking it.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 20 Sep. 2025
According to the pages labeled as court exhibits, Priscilla rushed to her daughter’s bedside and was holding her hand, stroking her face, and telling her she was loved as family members gathered.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stroking
Verb
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The Young Pope star was seen caressing Coan’s back and whispering in her ear.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The singer was spotted in pictures shared to social media, gently caressing the baby bump of his romantic partner.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
3 Sep. 2019
Verb
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Most dogs love the feeling of the rubber groomer massaging their skin.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
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That merely meant coach Brian Dutcher didn’t have to delicately parcel out playing time while massaging egos on his Mariana Trench-deep roster, and the bench shortened by circumstance delivered a 77-45 win powered by a pair of true freshmen and a typically frenetic defensive effort.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Taken together, the answers provided a sort of battle-damage assessment of the current moment, the kind undertaken while everyone is still patting themselves to figure out which parts survived the explosion intact.—
Susan B. Glasser,
New Yorker,
30 Oct. 2025
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That’s cute, today’s masters of the universe will chuckle while patting your head.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hudson has heard from studio heads, producers and other past collaborators praising her work.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
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In a post on X, Huberman shared the White House’s graphic of the new pyramid, praising the decisions that were made.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While presenting her with the RRHOF milestone, Roan gave a speech commending Lauper’s influence and advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Praise abounded for the 36-year-old, with three fellow veterans commending Rojas not just for his play, but also for his demeanor.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Please join us in congratulating Erik on his new role!—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The couple met via Instagram DM when Rivera sent Herrold a message congratulating her on the success of the show’s first season in 2020.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Amazingly, Exposure contestants go through hours of practice and performance each day without ever seeming to tire, and along with the competitive spirit, there’s a real sense of community, with skaters constantly encouraging, applauding, and appreciating each other.—
Lonnie Burstein Hewitt,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
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When the final number was finished, the three eldest boys came to the fore on the catwalk mini stage underneath a shower of confetti and took a bow, with Mom and Dad now in the background, applauding politely but proudly.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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This whiskey can, of course, be enjoyed without puffing on a cigar—that part of the ritual is completely optional—but it was made very intentionally by master blender Nancy Fraley and master distiller John Schrepel.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
27 Dec. 2025
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Out on break, puffing on a cigarette, Dana is sucker-punched by a patient disgruntled over his wait time.—
EW Staff December 5,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stroking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stroking. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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