Collocations for "stroke"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "stroke" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2026
stroke
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.n
- a [brush, hammer, cane] stroke
- use a [gentle, rough, smooth, careful] stroke
- gave the [cat, dog, puppy] a stroke
- [gentle] strokes (of paint)
- a [gentle] stroke on the [arm, head, shoulder]
- a [vertical, horizontal, diagonal, downward] stroke
- [get, receive] three strokes of the [cane, rod, belt]
- a swimming stroke
- swim with [effortless, graceful, long, short, confident] strokes
- the rowers [leaned into, stepped up, lengthened, shortened] the strokes
- the [team, pair, player] won by two strokes
- had a stroke of [luck, fortune, genius]
- [at, on] the stroke of [noon, midnight]
- at the [first, second, last] stroke
- with a stroke of [the brush, a pencil, his hand]
- different strokes for different folks
- [looking for, give him] an ego stroke
- her [grandmother] [had, suffered] a stroke
- the [risk, possibility, likelihood] of a stroke
- stroke [patients, care, prevention]
- stroking [a cat, the dog]
- stroke the [cat's] [head, back, ears, tail]
- stroke her [cheeks, hair]
- stroked my hair back
- stroke your [beard, chin] (in contemplation)
- sexually explicit: stroke [him, his cock]
- stroke and [caress, kiss]
- stroked the paint [onto, over] the [canvas, wall]
- the waves stroked the [shore, boat]
- stroked the [ball, shot, putt, pitch]
- stroke out [during the night, in the hospital, after the accident]
'stroke' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):