Stroke: meaning, definitions and examples

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stroke

[ strəʊk ]

Noun / Verb

^{Context #1 | Noun}

medical condition

A stroke is a sudden interruption in the blood supply of the brain. Strokes can be caused by a blocked artery (ischemic stroke) or the leaking or bursting of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). The lack of blood flow deprives the brain of oxygen and nutrients, leading to brain cell damage or death.

Synonyms

brain attack, cerebrovascular accident.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
stroke	Commonly used in both medical and general contexts to describe a sudden interruption in the blood supply to the brain, leading to potential damage. Suitable for all audiences. He was rushed to the hospital after suffering a stroke Early signs of a stroke include slurred speech and numbness on one side of the body
cerebrovascular accident	Formal medical terminology, more likely to be used by healthcare professionals in clinical or academic settings. It may not be well-understood by the general public without explanation. The patient was diagnosed with a cerebrovascular accident and is undergoing treatment The study focused on the long-term outcomes of cerebrovascular accidents
brain attack	Used to emphasize the urgency and seriousness of the condition, similar to how a 'heart attack' is discussed. Often used in public health messages or by medical professionals to stress the importance of immediate action. Know the signs of a brain attack and call 911 immediately Public awareness campaigns often use the term 'brain attack' to emphasize the medical emergency

Word

Description / Examples

stroke

Commonly used in both medical and general contexts to describe a sudden interruption in the blood supply to the brain, leading to potential damage. Suitable for all audiences.

He was rushed to the hospital after suffering a stroke
Early signs of a stroke include slurred speech and numbness on one side of the body

cerebrovascular accident

Formal medical terminology, more likely to be used by healthcare professionals in clinical or academic settings. It may not be well-understood by the general public without explanation.

The patient was diagnosed with a cerebrovascular accident and is undergoing treatment
The study focused on the long-term outcomes of cerebrovascular accidents

brain attack

Used to emphasize the urgency and seriousness of the condition, similar to how a 'heart attack' is discussed. Often used in public health messages or by medical professionals to stress the importance of immediate action.

Know the signs of a brain attack and call 911 immediately
Public awareness campaigns often use the term 'brain attack' to emphasize the medical emergency

Examples of usage

My grandfather had a stroke last year and has been recovering ever since.
She was rushed to the hospital after experiencing symptoms of a stroke.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

swimming

In swimming, a stroke refers to the specific way of moving one's arms and legs to propel oneself through the water. There are different strokes used in competitive swimming, such as freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.