keystroke

K5E1Y4S1T1R1O1K5E1

noun

The act of pressing an input key on a computer keyboard, typewriter, or similar input device.

Similar
keypresskeykey inkey stroke
Less commonScrabble 20
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Meanings

nounkeystroke (plural keystrokes)

plural keystrokes

  1. The act of pressing an input key on a computer keyboard, typewriter, or similar input device.

    Synonyms: keypress

  2. broadlyinformalA keyboard shortcut.
verbkeystroke (third-person singular simple present keystrokes, present participle keystroking, simple past and past participle keystroked)

present singular third person keystrokes · participle present keystroking · participle past keystroked · past keystroked

  1. To enter (data etc.) by pressing keys on a keyboard.

    I keystroked the entire manual, in addition to the keystroking done by the Technical Support and Test groups.

    1991, Leslie A. Olsen, Thomas N. Huckin, Technical Writing and Professional Communication, page 262

    Synonyms: key, key in

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe act of pressing an input key on a computer keyboard, typewriter, or similar input device.

Similar
keypress

verbTo enter (data etc.) by pressing keys on a keyboard.

Similar
keykey in

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe stroke of a key; one depression of a key on a keyboard

Similar
key stroke
Broader
stroke
Also see
keypress

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From key + stroke.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian натискане на клавиш
  • натискане на клавиш (natiskane na klaviš)act of pressing a key
Chinese Mandarin 按鍵 /按键, 擊鍵 /击键
  • 按鍵 /按键 (ànjiàn)act of pressing a key
  • 擊鍵 /击键 (jījiàn)act of pressing a key
Finnish painallus
  • painallusact of pressing a key
French frappe d'une touche
  • frappe d'une toucheact of pressing a key
German Tastendruck, Tastenanschlag
  • Tastendruckact of pressing a key
  • Tastenanschlagact of pressing a key
Italian battuta
  • battutaact of pressing a key
Japanese 打鍵, キーストローク
  • 打鍵 (daken)act of pressing a key
  • キーストローク (kīsutorōku)act of pressing a key
Norwegian Bokmål tastetrykk
  • tastetrykkact of pressing a key
Russian нажа́тие кла́виш(и)
  • нажа́тие кла́виш(и)act of pressing a key
Swedish tangenttryckning
  • tangenttryckningact of pressing a key
Cite this entry
APA

keystroke. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keystroke

MLA

“keystroke.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keystroke. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “keystroke,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keystroke.

Source: keystroke on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.