What does "strafe" mean?
A heavy artillery bombardment.
Strafe
/stɹɑf/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A heavy artillery bombardment.
- Grammar: strafe is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: aim at, air raid, airstrike, barrage.
- Useful contrasts: calm, congratulate, evade.
- Usage evidence: These should be especially useful against low-flying planes that "strafe" infantry and transport columns with machine-gun fire and light bombs.
How to use "strafe"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "strafe" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "strafe" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "strafe" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "strafe" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "strafe" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "aim at" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "strafe", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A heavy artillery bombardment. World-War-I
"They were unfortunate, for a well-aimed shell during a German evening strafe demolished the apple tree and the nest."
- 2 an attack of machine-gun fire or cannon fire from a low flying airplane wordnet
- 3 An attack of machine-gun or cannon fire from a low-flying aircraft.
- 4 A sideways movement without turning.
"We also have added a new game control called the "defensive strafe," in which the user can press a button and stay facing forward."
Verb
- 1 To attack (ground targets) with automatic gunfire from a low-flying aircraft. transitive
"These should be especially useful against low-flying planes that "strafe" infantry and transport columns with machine-gun fire and light bombs."
- 2 attack with machine guns or cannon fire from a low-flying plane wordnet
- 3 To rake (a target) with rapid or automatic gunfire. broadly, transitive
"Laffey, fresh off from strafing Hiei, ran straight into a quarter of the Japanese navy's remaining destroyers, and, along with Kirishima, between gunfire and another successful Type 93 torpedo strike that tore off the ship's stern, the hapless destroyer was left drifting, ablaze, and would eventually sink."
- 4 To reprimand severely. figuratively, transitive
"You will get an officer sometimes fu'l of shout and swank, an' 'e 'll put 'em through it, an' strafe 'em, an' walk off parade feelin' that 'e 'as put the fear o' God into 'em."
- 5 To sidestep; to move sideways without turning (a core mechanic of most first-person shooters). intransitive
"Strafe — Press the Alt key and the left or right Arrow key to slide side to side instead of turning left or right."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"These should be especially useful against low-flying planes that "strafe" infantry and transport columns with machine-gun fire and light bombs."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "strafe"?
Common synonyms include: aim at, air raid, airstrike, barrage, blast, blitz.
How do you use "strafe" in a sentence?
These should be especially useful against low-flying planes that "strafe" infantry and transport columns with machine-gun fire and light bombs.
How do you pronounce "strafe"?
Pronounced /stɹɑf/.
Etymology
From German strafe (“punish”) (a conjugated form of strafen), from phrases like Gott strafe England (“God punish England”) which the British saw during the First World War.