stryka

Definition & meaning

Stryka has several meanings, depending on context:

• To iron clothing or fabric.
• To stroke or brush something gently.
• To cross out or delete a word or item.
• To spread or apply a thin layer, such as paint.
• In the expression stryka med ↗, to die or be destroyed.

Grammar & Word origin

Stryka is a verb. Its principal forms are stryka – stryker – strök – strukit.

It comes from an old Germanic verb meaning “to stroke” or “to move smoothly over a surface.” Its different meanings developed from this basic idea.

Synonyms & antonyms

• Stryka ut ↗ means “cross out” or “erase” and makes the removal explicit.
• Stryka över ↗ means “cross out,” especially by drawing a line over something.
• Stryka på ↗ means “apply” or “spread on,” usually referring to a layer of something.
• Smeka ↗ means “caress” and is generally more affectionate than the sense “stroke.”
• Måla ↗ means “paint” and focuses on the painting activity rather than the spreading motion.

There is no single antonym that applies to all meanings of stryka.

Common phrases & collocations

• Stryka en skjorta ↗ — to iron a shirt.
• Stryka någon över håret ↗ — to stroke someone’s hair.
• Stryka ett ord ↗ — to cross out a word.
• Stryka på färg ↗ — to apply paint.
• Stryka med ↗ — to die or be destroyed.