strike

/stɹaɪk/

//stɹaɪk// verb

"strike" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“strike” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,234 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#2,234
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To delete or cross out; to scratch or eliminate.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

strike vs strip
67% similar
strike vs string
67% similar
strike vs stroke
83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for strike
PropertyValue
Headwordstrike
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/stɹaɪk/
Letters6
Frequency rank#2,234
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “strike” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). strike lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for strike is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /stɹaɪk/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,234 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 47 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for strike, with forms such as "srtike", "sstrike", and "stirke". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "strip", "string", "stroke", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English stryken, from Old English strīcan, from Proto-West Germanic *strīkan, from Proto-Germanic *strīkaną, from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (“to stroke, rub, press”). Cognate with Dutch strijken, German streichen, Danish stryge, Icelandic str… The correct English form is strike, spelled S-T-R-I-K-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To delete or cross out; to scratch or eliminate.
  2. 2
    To have a sharp or sudden physical effect, as of a blow.
  3. 3
    To have a sharp or sudden physical effect, as of a blow.
  4. 4
    To have a sharp or sudden physical effect, as of a blow.
  5. 5
    To have a sharp or sudden physical effect, as of a blow.
  6. 6
    To have a sharp or sudden physical effect, as of a blow.
  7. 7
    To have a sharp or sudden physical effect, as of a blow.
  8. 8
    To have a sharp or sudden physical effect, as of a blow.
  9. 9
    To have a sharp or sudden physical effect, as of a blow.
  10. 10
    To have a sharp or sudden physical effect, as of a blow.
  11. 11
    To thrust in; to cause to enter or penetrate.
  12. 12
    To infest the flesh of a living vertebrate.
  13. 13
    To have a sharp or severe effect on a more abstract level.
  14. 14
    To have a sharp or severe effect on a more abstract level.
  15. 15
    To have a sharp or severe effect on a more abstract level.
  16. 16
    To have a sharp or severe effect on a more abstract level.
  17. 17
    To have a sharp or severe effect on a more abstract level.
  18. 18
    To have a sharp or severe effect on a more abstract level.
  19. 19
    To have a sharp or severe effect on a more abstract level.
  20. 20
    To have a sharp or severe effect on a more abstract level.
  21. 21
    To have a sharp or severe effect on a more abstract level.
  22. 22
    To have a sharp or severe effect on a more abstract level.
  23. 23
    To have a sharp or severe effect on a more abstract level.
  24. 24
    To touch; to act by appulse.
  25. 25
    To hook (a fish) by a quick turn of the wrist.
  26. 26
    To take down, especially in the following contexts.
  27. 27
    To take down, especially in the following contexts.
  28. 28
    To take down, especially in the following contexts.
  29. 29
    To take down, especially in the following contexts.
  30. 30
    To take down, especially in the following contexts.
  31. 31
    To take down, especially in the following contexts.
  32. 32
    To set off on a walk or trip.
  33. 33
    To pass with a quick or strong effect; to dart; to penetrate.
  34. 34
    To break forth; to commence suddenly; with into.
  35. 35
    To become attached to something; said of the spat of oysters.
  36. 36
    To make and ratify; to reach; to find.
  37. 37
    To discover a source of something, often a buried raw material such as ore (especially gold) or crude oil.
  38. 38
    To level (a measure of grain, salt, etc.) with a straight instrument, scraping off what is above the level of the top.
  39. 39
    To cut off (a mortar joint, etc.) even with the face of the wall, or inward at a slight angle.
  40. 40
    To hit upon, or light upon, suddenly.
  41. 41
    To lade thickened sugar cane juice from a teache into a cooler.
  42. 42
    To stroke or pass lightly; to wave.
  43. 43
    To advance; to cause to go forward; used only in the past participle.
  44. 44
    To balance (a ledger or account).
  45. 45
    To become saturated with salt.
  46. 46
    To run, or fade in colour.
  47. 47
    To do menial work for an officer.

Etymology

From Middle English stryken, from Old English strīcan, from Proto-West Germanic *strīkan, from Proto-Germanic *strīkaną, from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (“to stroke, rub, press”). Cognate with Dutch strijken, German streichen, Danish stryge, Icelandic strýkja, strýkva.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: srtike,sstrike,stirke,striek,strikke,strkie,strrike,sttrike,tsrike

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of strike - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

srtike2sstrike1stirke2striek2strikke1strkie2strrike1sttrike1
Edit distance from "strike"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "strike"?
"strike" is spelled S-T-R-I-K-E. The IPA pronunciation is /stɹaɪk/.
What does "strike" mean?
As a verb, "strike" means: To delete or cross out; to scratch or eliminate.
What words are commonly confused with "strike"?
"strike" is commonly confused with "strip", "string", "stroke". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "strike"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "strike" is /stɹaɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "strike"?
From Middle English stryken, from Old English strīcan, from Proto-West Germanic *strīkan, from Proto-Germanic *strīkaną, from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (“to stroke, rub, press”). Cognate with Dutch strijken, German streichen, Danish stryge, Ice... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “strike”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-T-R-I-K-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /stɹaɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “strip” - see the side-by-side comparison. strike vs strip
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list