striking
Americanadjective
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a scene of striking beauty.
- Synonyms:
- outstanding, noteworthy, remarkable
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a striking lack of enthusiasm.
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being on strike, as workers.
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capable of attacking an enemy, especially by air.
striking power.
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within the extent of space through which it is possible to attack a target effectively.
striking distance.
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adjective
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attracting attention; fine; impressive
a striking beauty
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conspicuous; noticeable
a striking difference
Other Word Forms
- nonstriking adjective
- strikingly adverb
- strikingness noun
- unstriking adjective
Etymology
Origin of striking
Explanation
Something striking grabs your attention because it’s vivid and surprising. Many twins have a striking resemblance. People in red satin evening gowns, the pyramids in Egypt, and platform heels with fish in them are also striking. Anything striking is hard not to notice; it almost hits, or strikes, you with surprise, like a toddler in a tuxedo. People can be striking, and so can landscapes — one of the most striking sights in the world is the Grand Canyon, which is why so many people visit just to look at it. Non-visual things can be striking too, like a striking thought that makes you shout, “Eureka!”
Vocabulary lists containing striking
NAEP Test Words
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Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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Pay Attention! Synonyms for "Interesting"
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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.
In another striking development, the incoming prime minister said he would appear on public radio and TV on Wednesday ahead of his visit to the president.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
It’s thought that the striking property, which was originally built in 1849, will serve as a primary residence for Pink and her husband, Carey Hart, as well as their two kids, Willow and Jameson, 9.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026
Another striking feature is a long, faint tail of emission stretching toward the southwest.
From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026
The phenomenon is striking even in a country accustomed to larger-than-life public figures.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
Washington was an indisputable American patriarch, but more an actor than a leader, brilliant at striking poses “in a strain of Shakespearean...excellence at dramatic exhibitions.”
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
