strike
stryk
Strike (verb) means to hit someone or something, often forcefully. Example: “The branch struck the car's windscreen during the storm.”
verb
1
To hit someone or something, often forcefully.
"The branch struck the car's windscreen during the storm."
"He struck the table with his fist in frustration."
2
To stop working collectively as a form of protest over pay or conditions.
"The factory workers voted to strike after their pay demands were rejected."
"Nurses in several hospitals plan to strike next week over staffing levels."
"Bus drivers have threatened to strike unless the rota changes."
3
To occur to someone suddenly, or to make a strong impression.
"It suddenly struck her that she had left the oven on."
"His confidence struck everyone in the room."
4
To discover, especially a valuable resource such as oil or gold.
"The prospectors finally struck gold after months of searching."
"Engineers hoped to strike oil somewhere beneath the dry plain."
noun
1
An organized refusal to work as a form of protest.
"The strike lasted three weeks before a new contract was agreed."
"A rail strike left thousands of commuters walking to work."
"The union called a strike after talks with management failed."
2
A military or physical attack.
"The airstrike targeted an abandoned warehouse on the edge of town."
"The cobra's strike was too fast for the camera to catch."
"Defence analysts said the missile strike had been carefully planned."
3
In baseball, a pitch that counts against the batter because it was swung at and missed, or was in the strike zone and not swung at.
"The umpire called a third strike, ending the inning."
"He swung and missed, and the umpire shouted strike two."
"The pitcher threw a fastball for a called strike."
How to use strike
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo hit something, to stop working in protest, or to suddenly discover or realize something.
Common mistake
Past tense is "struck" (not "striked"), though "strikeout" and similar compounds keep the regular spelling.
Common pairings
go on strike
strike a deal
strike gold
strike a match
lightning strike
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Word forms
- Plural
- strikes
- Third person singular
- strikes
- Past tense
- struck, striked, strook, stroke, strake, stricken, strucken
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The factory workers voted to _____ after their pay demands were rejected.
Etymology
From Old English strican ("to go, stroke, rub"), from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to stroke or press" — the sense evolved through "to strike a flag" (lower it) into today's meanings of hitting and of workers stopping work.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for strike
See all rhymes for strike →Frequently asked questions
What does “strike” mean?
The word “strike” means to hit someone or something, often forcefully. In plain terms, to hit something, to stop working in protest, or to suddenly discover or realize something.
How do you pronounce “strike”?
“Strike” is pronounced stryk (/stɹaɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “strike” in a sentence?
Here is “strike” used in a sentence: “The factory workers voted to strike after their pay demands were rejected.”
What part of speech is “strike”?
Depending on how it is used, “strike” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “strike” come from?
The word “strike” comes from Old English.
Is “strike” a common word?
“Strike” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “strike” have?
“Strike” has 7 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to hit someone or something, often forcefully.
What is the difference between strike and hit?
Both mean to bring something forcefully against something else, and they often swap freely. 'Hit' is the plain, everyday word. 'Strike' sounds a little more formal or forceful and is favoured in precise or dramatic contexts — a clock strikes, lightning strikes, a boxer strikes a blow. In casual speech, 'hit' is more common.
What is the difference between strike and stroke?
To strike is to hit something, often hard. A stroke is usually a gentle, smooth movement — you stroke a cat or make a stroke with a brush. Although 'stroke' can name a single act of striking, such as a stroke of the hammer, the verb 'to stroke' means to touch softly, the opposite of striking.
Does 'strike' always mean to hit?
No. Hitting is the core sense, but 'strike' has many others: workers strike by stopping work, you strike a match, you strike gold, an idea strikes you, and you strike a deal. Context makes the meaning clear. The definition here — to hit forcefully — is simply its most physical and literal sense.
What is an example of strike meaning to hit?
'The ball struck the window,' 'she struck the drum,' or 'the car struck a lamppost' all use this sense. Lightning can strike a tree, and a clock strikes the hour by sounding its bell. In each, one thing comes forcefully against another, which is the heart of this meaning.
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