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strike up

British  

verb

  1. (of a band, orchestra, etc) to begin to play or sing

  2. (tr) to bring about; cause to begin

    to strike up a friendship

  3. (tr) to emboss (patterns, etc) on (metal)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Expect to see additional such markets in your news coverage as more outlets strike up deals.

From Slate • Dec. 10, 2025

They were less likely to strike up conversations with classmates or confide in dormmates.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

We strike up a conversation about a Tom Petty book.

From Salon • Oct. 11, 2025

Abruptly, pipers strike up and soldiers stream by.

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2025

And they strike up a conversation like they been waiting for her.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles

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.