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
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stroking
Verb
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Bell shared photos on her Instagram Stories of the comedian joining her backstage, patting powder onto her cheeks.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
27 Feb. 2025 -
The two critics congratulated him, patting him amiably.—
Anelise Chen,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman has announced an internal investigation into a November police shooting that killed a mother and her baby, while applauding the officer who fired the fatal bullets.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2025
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Some Jewish groups are applauding the effort.—
Jeff Zeman,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Stroking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stroking. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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