strike up
Britishverb
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(of a band, orchestra, etc) to begin to play or sing
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(tr) to bring about; cause to begin
to strike up a friendship
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(tr) to emboss (patterns, etc) on (metal)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
DeReiss, who described the women as "hilarious", said he hopes the story encourages people to strike up conversations with strangers.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
If no one was at a nearby table, he would strike up a conversation with the waitress.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026
Expect to see additional such markets in your news coverage as more outlets strike up deals.
From Slate • Dec. 10, 2025
The two strike up a conversation, and Matthew is inducted into Oliver’s inner circle almost overnight.
From Salon • Aug. 26, 2025
As you will see, we do not believe that artists have an obligation to strike up attitudes to the war.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
