What does strike mean?
Strike is a highly versatile word whose central idea is forceful contact or a sudden, decisive action. As a verb, it can describe hitting someone or something, canceling or crossing out an item, moving suddenly, beginning to burn a match, or suddenly realizing an important fact. It also has a major social meaning: workers who strike collectively refuse to work, usually to demand better pay or conditions. As a noun, a strike can refer to that work stoppage, a hit or forceful impact, a failed baseball attempt, or a sudden insight. The word’s figurative uses often suggest speed, force, or an abrupt realization: a strike of lightning is sudden and dramatic, while striking a deal means reaching an agreement decisively. Its range from physical action to collective protest and figurative insight makes it one of the most useful and context-dependent words in modern English.
An act or instance of hitting or forcefully impacting something; a collective refusal to work; a failed attempt to hit a pitched ball; or a sudden realization or insight.
"The workers ended the strike after reaching an agreement."
The labour sense is especially frequent in political, economic, and news contexts. In baseball, a strike is a pitch at which the batter does not make contact.
To hit or make forceful contact with something, to cancel or cross out something, to move suddenly, to realize something abruptly, or to refuse to work collectively.
"The committee struck the outdated provision from the proposal."
In the labour sense, it is usually used in the forms “go on strike” and “strike for” something. The phrase “strike a match” means to ignite a match.
The standard plural is strikes. In the labour sense, it refers to separate periods of collective refusal to work.
"The factory has experienced two strikes this year."
One word can mean a physical blow, a refusal to work, a sudden realization, and even the moment a match catches fire.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does strike come from?
The English word comes from Old English strīcan, meaning “to strike, touch, or move suddenly,” and is generally traced to Proto-Germanic *strīkaną. Related Germanic forms include Old Norse stríka, “to strike or push,” Dutch strijken, “to strike or move,” and German streichen, “to strike, move, or cancel.” The word later acquired specialized meanings in work disputes, sport, lighting, and figurative expressions. Its relationship with forms such as strict and string is also proposed in some etymological accounts, although such connections are treated cautiously.
Related word forms
How strike is actually used
The sense meaning to refuse to work is especially common in British and American political and labour contexts. The phrase “strike a match” refers to producing a flame, while “strike a deal” means to make an agreement. In baseball, a strike is a failed attempt to hit a pitched ball.