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.
Meanwhile, Clark and Floyd strike up a deep friendship, easing their suburban loneliness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
Nell’s plan to shuttle Gabby off to another local hostess is foiled, and all three women find themselves cohabitating uneasily, even as Gabby and Orla strike up a friendly intimacy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
Sabatino wrote that, although he spoke little Spanish and El Chapo barely any English, they were able to strike up a friendship.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
Shunned by neighbors who are certain they must have known about their husbands’ crimes, the three strike up a friendship as they struggle to find meaning in their new lives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
As he read on, an old man sat down at his side and tried to strike up a conversation.
From "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
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.
