stripe
1 Americannoun
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a relatively long, narrow band of a different color, appearance, weave, material, or nature from the rest of a surface or thing.
the stripes of a zebra.
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a fabric or material containing such a band or bands.
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a strip of braid, tape, or the like.
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stripes,
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a number or combination of such strips, worn on a military, naval, or other uniform as a badge of rank, service, good conduct, combat wounds, etc.
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Informal. status or recognition as a result of one's efforts, experience, or achievements.
She earned her stripes as a traveling sales representative and then moved up to district manager.
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a strip, or long, narrow piece of anything.
a stripe of beach.
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a streak or layer of a different nature within a substance.
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style, variety, sort, or kind.
a man of quite a different stripe.
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Also called magnetic stripe. Movies. a strip of iron oxide layer on the edge of a film that is used for recording and reproducing a magnetic sound track.
verb (used with object)
noun
noun
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a relatively long band of distinctive colour or texture that differs from the surrounding material or background
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a fabric having such bands
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a strip, band, or chevron of fabric worn on a military uniform, etc, esp one that indicates rank
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kind; sort; type
a man of a certain stripe
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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stripesimple
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stripessimple
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have stripedperfect
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has stripedperfect
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am stripingprogressive
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are stripingprogressive
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is stripingprogressive
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have been stripingperfect progressive
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has been stripingperfect progressive
Past
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stripedsimple
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had stripedperfect
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was stripingprogressive
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were stripingprogressive
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had been stripingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of stripe1
First recorded in 1620–30; probably from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German strīpe; see also strip 2, stripe 2
Origin of stripe2
First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English; obscurely akin to stripe 1
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.
See Examples For:
Over time, his revolutionary stripe of paint would reach billions of people and guide drivers across the planet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
While the now-replaced aircraft sported a blue and white exterior, the new aircraft has a navy blue underbelly, red stripe and white upper body.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
Males display a bold red and white stripe along their sides and have amber eyes, while females feature a simpler yellow stripe and orange-yellow eyes.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 22, 2026
"One of the downsides of the navy blue stripe is that it does not stand out on the pitch, whereas this one is really distinctive."
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026
She’d only gotten her stripe a few weeks ago, and the “act of valor” that earned it for her had been mostly an accident.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
Pelosi said the institute will train advocates, organizers, and public servants of many stripes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
Amid a boom time for white wine, Albariño, the Iberian variety, is drawing in drinkers and diners of all stripes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
Inspired by my favorite slice in New York City, I love making a tri-dye pizza complete with stripes of vodka sauce, margherita sauce and basil pesto.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026
The process -- and the sheer size of the state of 40 million people -- means California is always slow to finalize results, a fact that frustrates voters of all stripes.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
Beginning his interview, Phillips asks Professor Pierson about those Martian stripes visible through a telescope.
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
Locke wore an all-black designer outfit, while Connor — dressed in a light blue striped button-down over a white tank and khakis — had traded Nick’s signature floppy hair for designer stubble.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
On May 10 in a Damascus courtroom, Atef Najib, Assad’s cousin, sat shackled in a metal cage dressed in a drab striped prison uniform.
From Slate ● May 27, 2026
Among the pieces available were a vintage chest, tables, and chair, antique mirrors, hand-knotted rugs, a striped fabric tuxedo sofa, upholstered wing back chairs, “lots of fun lamps and chandeliers,” and several leather chairs.
From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026
Archrival Adidas, which experienced its own Xinjiang-related problems in 2021, released viral hits in China, such as a “Tang” jacket that integrated the brand’s classic striped pattern with traditional Chinese tailoring.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026
“I’ll bake cookies. With striped icing and star sprinkles.”
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
We bought a bunch of road rental companies — all those orange barricades and cones and striping you see on the roads.
From MarketWatch ● May 6, 2026
If the lane striping isn’t perfect, though, the lane-keeping assist sometimes disables itself, so I don’t rely on it completely.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
Knitters can opt for smaller patterns that require less yarn, or use up leftover yarn through designs that allow for different yarns to be cobbled together, such as striping.
From Slate ● Sep. 2, 2025
In the following days, construction crews erected the shoring structures and road crews repaired damaged electrical systems, lane striping and signs on the freeway, and some damage to the freeway deck.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2023
Karl stood with his face to the charred building, soot striping it like war paint.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
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.
