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.
The Scorsese influence is most striking because New York City is a minor character in the film, right alongside band members and other musicians.
From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026
Rai's work during the years of militancy in Punjab during the 1980s remains among his most striking.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
Mortgage giant Rocket agreed to buy Redfin in March 2025, followed by Compass striking a deal to acquire Anywhere Real Estate, the parent company of brands including Sotheby’s International Realty and Coldwell Banker, in September.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
The change was especially striking among younger fish, with year-old pike consuming 63 percent more fish than before.
From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026
Particularly striking were new cases of AIDS—a 60-percent rise in three years.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
