1
: a line or mark of a different color or texture from the ground : stripe
2
a
: the color of the fine powder of a mineral obtained by scratching or rubbing against a hard white surface and constituting an important distinguishing character
b
: inoculum implanted in a line on a solid medium
c
: any of numerous virus diseases of plants (such as tobacco and corn) resembling mosaic but usually producing at least some linear markings
3
a
: a narrow band of light
b
: a lightning bolt
4
a
: a slight admixture : trace
had a mean streak in him
b
: a brief run (as of luck)
c
: a consecutive series
was on a winning streak
5
: a narrow layer (as of fat)
6
: an act or instance of streaking
streaked; streaking; streaks
: to make streaks on or in
tears streaking her face
1
: to move swiftly : rush
a jet streaking across the sky
2
: to have a streak (as of winning or outstanding performances)
3
: to run naked through a public place
streaker
noun
Examples of streak in a Sentence
Noun
He left streaks where he wiped the glass.
The miners had streaks of coal dust on their faces.
a streak of 11 straight victories
Verb
A shooting star streaked across the sky.
A skateboarder streaked past us.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hunter Patterson, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Alex Lyon made 24 saves. Anaheim had allowed just six goals during its four-game streak.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2025
Ashley Strickland, CNN, 23 Feb. 2025
The descriptions are diverse: luminous balls rolling along the ground or floating above it, aurora-like clouds in the sky, streaks shooting through the air, all in a range of color.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for streak
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Noun
Both teams will be fighting potential fatigue, and both will be looking to either continue or end a streak.
—Hunter Patterson, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Alex Lyon made 24 saves. Anaheim had allowed just six goals during its four-game streak.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
Defying gravity This week, flaming debris from a SpaceX launch vehicle streaked across the skies over Germany, while what may have been a fuel tank landed in Poland.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 23 Feb. 2025
The descriptions are diverse: luminous balls rolling along the ground or floating above it, aurora-like clouds in the sky, streaks shooting through the air, all in a range of color.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for streak
Cite this Entry
“Streak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/streak. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
streak
1 of 2 noun1
: a line or mark of a different color or texture from its background : stripe
2
: the color of the fine powder of a mineral obtained by scratching or rubbing against a hard white surface
3
a
: a narrow band of light
b
: a lightning bolt
4
5
: a narrow layer
a streak of fat in bacon
streak
2 of 2 verb1
: to make or have streaks on or in
2
: to move swiftly : rush
a jet streaking across the sky
Medical Definition
streak
1 of 2 noun1
: a usually irregular line or stripe see primitive streak
2
: inoculum implanted (as with a needle drawn across the surface) in a line on a solid medium
streak
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to implant (inoculum) in a line on a solid medium
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