STRIKES Synonyms: 471 Similar and Opposite Words

strikes 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of strike

as in walks

to refuse to work in order to force an employer to meet demands the union is calling for its members to strike until the mining company agrees to meet safety standards

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as in affects

to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response we were struck by the willingness of total strangers to go out of their way to help us

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as in occurs (to)

to enter the mind of it struck her later that no one at the bank had asked for identification

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as in collides

to come into usually forceful contact with something the thump of hailstones striking the cars in the parking lot

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as in hits

to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner the driver of the car behind me applied his brakes too late and struck my car from the rear

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as in dismantles

to take apart the stagehands struck the sets the morning after the play closed

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as in attacks

to take sudden, violent action against a rattlesnake strikes its prey with lightning speed

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as in possesses

to cast a spell on the only way that she's going to get a man is if she strikes one

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blesses

strikes

2 of 2

noun

plural of strike

as in walkouts

a work stoppage by a body of workers intended to force an employer to meet their demands the nurses will go on strike tomorrow unless they're finally given a pay raise

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as in assaults

the act or action of setting upon with force or violence the first strike was directed at a munitions warehouse

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as in disadvantages

a feature of someone or something that creates difficulty for achieving success kids born into poverty already have a strike against them

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as in collisions

a forceful coming together of two things the strike of a hammer against a nail always has a satisfying sound when you're building something yourself

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as in accidents

an unexpected benefit or advantage resulting from the uncertain course of events she's made one strike after another since she began speculating in real estate

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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 strikes

Verb

What to do nearby Fully immerse yourself in the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning, which strikes a perfect balance between architectural innovation and ecological sustainability. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026 One of the things that strikes me about the comparison to nuclear, which has come up quite a bit on Decoder recently, is the government built the nuclear weapons. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 22 Oct. 2026 The red, as startling as a cymbal clap, strikes the eye, but the impending drama remains out of sight. — Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Reidman’s database includes incidents in which in a gun is fired, brandished or in which a bullet strikes K-12 school property. — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 Minimalist jackets can sometimes feel a little boring, but this one strikes the right balance. — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2026 The event’s jaw-dropping radiance stunned astronomers, who think that a GRB of this strength strikes Earth only once every 10,000 years. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 The video appears to show a person near the middle of the street holding up a cellphone to record the SUV when the vehicle’s front-right corner strikes the observer, who tumbles to the ground. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Before any cymbal leaves the factory, a shokunin strikes it and listens, comparing its sound against a pristine reference by ear. — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026

Noun

Experts said some of the tension – particularly on issues related to diesel, with Trump blaming Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries for soaring prices rather than the Iran war – may dissipate after the US midterms. — Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 DeShields was 18-of-33 passing for 294 yards and threw scoring strikes of 1, 55 and 19 yards to Harris. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 Iranian strikes on data centers in Bahrain and the UAE in early 2026 are thought to have caused permanent data loss. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026 Those strikes and blockades in the south were matched by protests, which turned to riots in the north. — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026 The strikes followed a string of attacks on Sunday that marked the highest single-day tally of maritime incidents since the start of the war in Iran. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv would resume strikes on Russian refineries in retaliation. — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026 Ukraine’s drone strikes, most recently against Russian data centers, have heaped more inconvenience upon Russian consumers, who already face major internet disruptions. — Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strikes

Verb

While the live casting moment feels intense, the decisions that determine who walks, and who doesn’t, are the visible end of a process that starts long before any hopeful model enters the room.

— Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
Adam is being self-loathing, but Lee, who was listening, walks away.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of walks

Verb

As an independent woman of the time, Ware was the subject of gossip, and the treatment of her body shows how social class affects even the honoring of the dead.

— Marcus Librizzi, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
When a savings affects a critical control, explain what changes.

— Aliasgar Dohadwala, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of affects

Verb

Bankrate’s next holiday spending report, and whether the share of shoppers starting before the end of October crosses the 50% line.

— Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2026
The shower happens because Earth crosses a stream of debris left behind by Halley's Comet, which was last in the inner solar system in 1986 and will return in 2061.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of crosses

Verb

The film explores the contradictions of a Bulgarian town pulled into Europe’s shifting geopolitical order, where arms production for Ukraine’s frontlines collides with enduring ties to Russia, personal convictions, and the everyday need to survive.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Still, the track eventually collides into a seasick wall of distortion that recalls lovesliescrushing’s weightless takes on shoegaze as Pitchkites sings of unmet expectations and self pity.

— Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of collides

Verb

Assembly Bill 2555 dismantles and streamlines an aging system that some researchers said kept far too many students classified as English learners months or even years after mastering the language.

— Emily Woodruff, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
The spiritual fact of our completeness in God dismantles the cycle and opens the door to renewal.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of dismantles

Verb

She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system, disrupting communication between the brain and the rest of the body.

— Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Blair revealed in 2018 that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disorder that attacks healthy cells in the central nervous system, according to the National Institutes of Health.

— Meriam Bouarrouj, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of attacks

Verb

One is that Chris’ soul possesses Billy’s car at her death and turns it into Stephen King’s famous killer car, Christine.

— Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2026
NDCs are certificates or licenses that signal that a worker possesses a particular qualification or competency.

— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026