strike a blow

verb

To hit; to successfully land a hit.

“The Supreme Court ruling struck a blow for gender equality.”

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Meanings

verbstrike a blow (third-person singular simple present strikes a blow, present participle striking a blow, simple past struck a blow, past participle struck a blow or (rare or archaic) stricken a blow)

present singular third person strikes a blow · participle present striking a blow · past struck a blow · participle past struck a blow · archaic participle past rare stricken a blow

  1. idiomaticTo hit; to successfully land a hit.

    His opponent danced and dodged so nimbly that he couldn’t strike a blow.

  2. figurativelyTo do something to support or defend (for) or to hinder or harm (at / against) something.

    The Supreme Court ruling struck a blow for gender equality.

    1 more example

    It is hoped that the new vaccine will strike a blow against the spread of tuberculosis.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
strike a stroke
Cite this entry
APA

strike a blow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strike%20a%20blow

MLA

“strike a blow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strike%20a%20blow. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “strike a blow,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strike%20a%20blow.

Source: strike a blow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.