stroke

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of STROKE

to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner <the young mother gently stroked the sleeping child's brow and then leaned over and kissed him>

Synonyms caress, gentle, love, pat, pet, stroke

Related Words bill, canoodle, cuddle, neck, nestle, nose, nuzzle, snuggle, spoon; feel up, paw; cradle, embrace, enfold, hug; bounce, dandle; knead, massage; baby, coddle, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil

to praise too much <a politician with a special gift for stroking fat-cat donors>

Synonyms adulate, belaud, blarney, butter up, hero-worship, honey, massage, overpraise, puff, soft-soap, stroke

Related Words blandish, cajole, coax, sweet-talk, wheedle; fawn, kowtow, suck (up to), toady; idolize, worship; eulogize, extol (also extoll), laud, praise; applaud, commend, compliment; congratulate, felicitate; drool, gush, slaver, slobber; endear, ingratiate; court, romance, woo

Near Antonyms bad-mouth, belittle, decry, depreciate, disparage, put down

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