striking

1 of 2

adjective

strik·​ing ˈstrī-kiŋ How to pronounce striking (audio)
Synonyms of strikingnext
: attracting attention or notice through unusual or conspicuous qualities
a place of striking beauty
strikingly adverb

striking

2 of 2

present participle of strike entry 1

Synonyms of striking

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for striking

noticeable, remarkable, prominent, outstanding, conspicuous, salient, striking mean attracting notice or attention.

noticeable applies to something unlikely to escape observation.

a piano recital with no noticeable errors

remarkable applies to something so extraordinary or exceptional as to invite comment.

a film of remarkable intelligence and wit

prominent applies to something commanding notice by standing out from its surroundings or background.

a doctor who occupies a prominent position in the town

outstanding applies to something that rises above and excels others of the same kind.

honored for her outstanding contributions to science

conspicuous applies to something that is obvious and unavoidable to the sight or mind.

conspicuous bureaucratic waste

salient applies to something of significance that merits the attention given it.

the salient points of the speech

striking applies to something that impresses itself powerfully and deeply upon the observer's mind or vision.

the region's striking poverty

Examples of striking in a Sentence

Adjective The poverty of the city is striking. There is a striking resemblance between the girls. an actress known for her striking good looks
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
But now the actor has debuted a striking new shade of brown, just in time for fall’s darker hours. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 2 Sep. 2026 One of the afternoon’s most striking moments came when Japanese calligraphy artist Miho Kawashita stepped before a large white sheet of paper that had to be steadied against the day’s strong winds. — Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026 The relaxed silhouette and slightly undone styling gave the classic office look a striking edge. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 Now, Asia’s financial environment bears some striking similarities to the period immediately before the crisis, according to HSBC’s chief economist Frederick Neumann. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for striking

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1725, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of striking was in 1725

Phrases Containing striking

Rhymes for striking

See All Rhymes for striking

Browse Nearby Words

strike zone
striking
striking angle
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Striking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/striking. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

striking

adjective
strik·​ing
ˈstrī-kiŋ
: attracting attention : remarkable, impressive
a striking costume
a striking resemblance
strikingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on striking

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about striking

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All