strike up

verb

struck up; struck up also stricken up; striking up; strikes up

intransitive verb

: to begin to sing or play or to be sung or played

transitive verb

1
: to cause to begin singing or playing
strike up the band
2
: to cause to begin
strike up a conversation

Examples of strike up in a Sentence

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.
For example, OpenAI recently struck up a computing relationship with Oracle. Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2025 The idea was simple: strike up enough relationships in that universe, portray Combs as the kind of victim that Trump pretends to be, play up Combs and Trump’s past chummy relationship, and lay the groundwork for begging for a pardon or clemency if needed. Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2025 Through eloquent prose and whispered secrets, the pair strike up a friendship which becomes something much more intimate throughout the war. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 31 July 2025 But this spring, with an electric keyboard in his lap and 14 holes drilled into his skull, the longtime Chicago musician struck up a melody on the old ivories. Chicago Tribune, 31 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for strike up

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1562, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of strike up was circa 1562

Cite this Entry

“Strike up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strike%20up. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

strike up

verb
1
: to begin or cause to begin to sing or play
strike up the band
2
: to cause to begin
strike up a conversation

More from Merriam-Webster on strike up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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