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
Relevance
2
as in massaging
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 stroking
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
No one wants to follow an ego-stroking social media account with zero content value.
—Peter Boyd, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
In the black-and-white video, Kelly could be seen holding his baby's hand, stroking her fingers.
—Sarah Jones, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Too long submerged in suppressed grief, Zilpha now came up from its depth like any swimmer stroking toward light and sweet air.
—Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
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
No one wants to follow an ego-stroking social media account with zero content value.
—Peter Boyd, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
In the black-and-white video, Kelly could be seen holding his baby's hand, stroking her fingers.
—Sarah Jones, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Too long submerged in suppressed grief, Zilpha now came up from its depth like any swimmer stroking toward light and sweet air.
—Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stroking
Verb
-
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
-
Simply moisten the skin on the face and massaging the formula in circular motions.—
Beatrice Zocchi,
Vogue,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Create some suspense and anticipation by going in slowly, starting with the head and just massaging it slightly with the tip of your tongue.—
Ian Kumamoto,
Them.,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
That’s cute, today’s masters of the universe will chuckle while patting your head.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Screen Australia serves as the interface between the industry and government, with Weiss praising the agency’s clear governance structure.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
29 Oct. 2025
-
More than 3,000 Amazon reviewers give this modern hoover their stamp of approval, praising its long-lasting battery and powerful performance.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Reddit users praised the woman’s lighthearted reaction, with many sharing similar experiences and commending her for handling the situation with humor and grace.—
Emily Rella,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
-
After commending leaders for their work, the president spoke of changes being made at the Pentagon, including the decision to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The post was met with some excited comments from fans congratulating Bickerstaff on the accomplishment.—
Anne Erickson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Singletary was joined by cast members McKenna Grace, Whitney Peak and Joseph Zada congratulating him.—
Giana Levy,
Variety,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
At best, viewers reply with admiration, applauding the Fadel's contestants for their quick thinking.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The two men are surrounded by applauding officials while confetti falls in the background.—
Yamiche Alcindor,
NBC news,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And more than anything, more than the animosity between the programs, more than the College Football Playoff impact, more than Notre Dame puffing its chest out as USC backed down, that familiarity was the real higher power at work.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The president has increasingly embraced fake images and videos — some appearing to be AI-generated — to mock and taunt political rivals while also puffing up his image.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stroking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stroking. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share