stroke

Fetched 2026-10-27 (live).

Synonyms: strike, strode, strake, stoke, strove, strobe, strope, strole, troke, strome, strone

Antonyms: strike, strode, strake, stoke, strove, strobe, strope, strole, troke, strome, strone

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. An act of hitting; a blow, a hit.
   • a stroke on the chin
   • Singapore plans to cane scammers and scam mules, with mandatory caning of at least six strokes for scammers and discretionary caning for mules.
   • on the stroke of midnight
2. An act of striking with a weapon; a blow.
   • Singapore plans to cane scammers and scam mules, with mandatory caning of at least six strokes for scammers and discretionary caning for mules.
3. A single movement with a tool; also, an impact of a tool on an object.
4. The hitting of a bell or similar by the clapper or hammer of a clock; the sound thereof; the time when this occurs.
   • on the stroke of midnight
5. An act of hitting or trying to hit a ball; also, the manner in which this is done. The action of hitting the ball with the bat; a shot. A single act of striking at the ball with a club; also, at matchplay, a shot deducted from a player's score at a hole as a result of a handicapping system. A point awarded to a player in case of interference or obstruction by the opponent. The hitting of a ball with a racket; also, the movement of the racket and arm that produces that impact.
6. The action of hitting the ball with the bat; a shot.
7. A single act of striking at the ball with a club; also, at matchplay, a shot deducted from a player's score at a hole as a result of a handicapping system.
8. A point awarded to a player in case of interference or obstruction by the opponent.
9. The hitting of a ball with a racket; also, the movement of the racket and arm that produces that impact.
10. A movement similar to that of hitting. One of a series of beats or movements against a resisting medium, by means of which movement through or upon it is accomplished.
    • the stroke of a bird’s wing in flying
    • butterfly stroke
    • For the pistons of a four-stroke engine, the exhaust stroke follows the power stroke.
    • The bore times the stroke times the number of cylinders equals displacement.
11. One of a series of beats or movements against a resisting medium, by means of which movement through or upon it is accomplished.
    • the stroke of a bird’s wing in flying
    • butterfly stroke
12. The movement of an oar or paddle through water: either the cycle of movement as a whole, or the propelling phase (as opposed to the return); the manner in which such movements are made; a rowing style. The rower nearest the stern of the boat, the movement of whose oar sets the rhythm for the other rowers; the position in the boat occupied by this rower.
13. The movement of an oar or paddle through water: either the cycle of movement as a whole, or the propelling phase (as opposed to the return); the manner in which such movements are made; a rowing style.
14. The rower nearest the stern of the boat, the movement of whose oar sets the rhythm for the other rowers; the position in the boat occupied by this rower.
15. A movement of the arms and legs which propels a swimmer through the water; a specific combination of such movements, constituting a swimming style.
    • butterfly stroke
16. A beat or throb, as of the heart or pulse.
17. A single movement or thrust of a reciprocating device (such as a piston or connecting rod).
    • For the pistons of a four-stroke engine, the exhaust stroke follows the power stroke.
18. The length of this movement.
    • The bore times the stroke times the number of cylinders equals displacement.
19. A thrust of the penis during sexual intercourse.
20. An act causing hurt or death, especially when seen as divine punishment.
    • the stroke of death
    • a stroke of business
    • a stroke of genius
    • to give some finishing strokes to an essay
21. An act causing hurt or death, especially when seen as divine punishment.
    • the stroke of death
22. A damaging occurrence, especially if sudden; a blow, a calamity.
23. An amount of work; specifically, a large amount of business or work.
    • a stroke of business
24. A powerful or sudden effort by which something is done or produced; also, something accomplished by such an effort; an achievement, a feat.
    • a stroke of genius
25. A single movement of a paintbrush, chisel, pen, pencil, or similar implement; a line or mark made by such an implement. A line making up a written character. In Unicode: the formal name of the individual horizontal strikethroughs (as in "A̶"). The oblique, slash, or virgule ("/").
26. A line making up a written character.
27. In Unicode: the formal name of the individual horizontal strikethroughs (as in "A̶"). The oblique, slash, or virgule ("/").
28. In Unicode: the formal name of the individual horizontal strikethroughs (as in "A̶").
29. The oblique, slash, or virgule ("/").
30. A distinctive expression in a written composition; a touch. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
    • to give some finishing strokes to an essay
31. Influence; power. Backstage influence.
32. Backstage influence.
33. A masterful or effective action.
34. A sudden interruption of blood supply to the brain, causing minor to major brain damage and possible death; it may be either hemorrhagic or thrombotic.
    • suffer a stroke
35. An individual discharge of lightning, particularly if causing damage.
    • A flash of lightning may be made up of several strokes. If they are separated by enough time for the eye to distinguish them, the lightning will appear to flicker.
36. An individual social interaction whereby one gives another attention or recognition.
37. The effect or result of a striking; affliction or injury; a bruise or wound; soreness. Chiefly in to have a good stroke: appetite. A sudden attack of any illness, especially if causing loss of consciousness or movement, or when fatal.
    • a stroke of apoplexy
38. The effect or result of a striking; affliction or injury; a bruise or wound; soreness.
39. Chiefly in to have a good stroke: appetite.
40. A sudden attack of any illness, especially if causing loss of consciousness or movement, or when fatal.
    • a stroke of apoplexy
41. A bow or pluck of a string or strings of a stringed instrument; also, the manner in which a musical instrument is played; hence, a melody, a tune.

Verb

1. To draw the horizontal line across the upright part (of the letter t). Followed by out or through: to draw a line or lines through (text) to indicate that it is deleted; to cancel, to strike or strike out. Of a bell or clock: to chime or sound to indicate (the hour, the time, etc.). To mark (something) with lines or stripes; to stripe. To hit or kick (the ball) with a flowing or smooth motion; also, to score (a goal, a point, etc.) by doing so. Of a rower or a crew: to row at (a rate of a certain number of strokes (“movements of the oar through water”) per minute). To act as the stroke (“rower who is nearest the stern of the boat, the movement of whose oar sets the rowing rhythm for the other rowers”) of (a boat or its crew).
   • to stroke a boat
   • Yes, it's 'only' a small block, but it’s got some tricks up its sleeve — it's been bored, stroked, ported, polished, and fuel-injected.
2. To draw the horizontal line across the upright part (of the letter t).
3. Followed by out or through: to draw a line or lines through (text) to indicate that it is deleted; to cancel, to strike or strike out.
4. Of a bell or clock: to chime or sound to indicate (the hour, the time, etc.).
5. To mark (something) with lines or stripes; to stripe.
6. To hit or kick (the ball) with a flowing or smooth motion; also, to score (a goal, a point, etc.) by doing so.
7. Of a rower or a crew: to row at (a rate of a certain number of strokes (“movements of the oar through water”) per minute). To act as the stroke (“rower who is nearest the stern of the boat, the movement of whose oar sets the rowing rhythm for the other rowers”) of (a boat or its crew).
   • to stroke a boat
8. Of a rower or a crew: to row at (a rate of a certain number of strokes (“movements of the oar through water”) per minute).
9. To act as the stroke (“rower who is nearest the stern of the boat, the movement of whose oar sets the rowing rhythm for the other rowers”) of (a boat or its crew).
   • to stroke a boat
10. To strike (the water) with one's arms and legs when swimming.
11. To lengthen the stroke of (an engine) by installing a crankshaft with longer throws.
    • Yes, it's 'only' a small block, but it’s got some tricks up its sleeve — it's been bored, stroked, ported, polished, and fuel-injected.
12. To depict (something) with a paintbrush.
13. Chiefly followed by out: to suffer loss of brain function when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted; to have a stroke (noun sense 4). To swim by making co-ordinated movements with the arms and legs.
14. Chiefly followed by out: to suffer loss of brain function when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted; to have a stroke (noun sense 4).
15. To swim by making co-ordinated movements with the arms and legs.

Verb

1. To move one's hand or an object (such as a broom or brush) along (a surface) in one direction, touching it lightly; to caress. To masturbate.
2. To masturbate.
3. To bring (something) to a certain condition by stroking (sense 1).
4. To give assurance to (someone) through encouragement. To influence (someone) by convincing or flattering them.
5. To give assurance to (someone) through encouragement.
6. To influence (someone) by convincing or flattering them.
7. To milk (a cow or other animal); especially, to squeeze the teat of (a cow, etc.) to extract the last bit of milk from the udder; to strap , to strip.
8. To give a finely fluted surface to (stone) by carving it with a tool.
9. To sharpen (a knife or other cutting instrument) by honing or rubbing it against a surface. To soothe (someone); also, to flatter or indulge (someone).
10. To sharpen (a knife or other cutting instrument) by honing or rubbing it against a surface.
11. To soothe (someone); also, to flatter or indulge (someone).

Noun

1. An act of moving one's hand or an object along a surface in one direction, touching it lightly; a caress.
   • She gave the cat a stroke.
2. A gesture of assurance given as encouragement; specifically in transactional analysis: a (generally positive) reaction expressed to a person which fulfils their desires or needs. A flattering or friendly act, comment, etc., done or made to a person to influence them.
3. A gesture of assurance given as encouragement; specifically in transactional analysis: a (generally positive) reaction expressed to a person which fulfils their desires or needs.
4. A flattering or friendly act, comment, etc., done or made to a person to influence them.

Verb

1. simple past of strike

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wiktionary) · cached copy, not a rewrite.