Streak Meaning
/stɹiːk/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounAn irregular line left from smearing or motion.
nounA continuous series of like events.
Sentence Examples
John can really talk a blue streak about Peru.
They have lost 10 games in a row since their winning streak ended.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The basketball team has won ten games in a row this month, continuing their winning ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There was a long ____ of white paint on the floor where the worker had accidentally dropped his brush.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English streke, from Old English strica, from Proto-Germanic *strikiz, from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (“line”). Related to North Frisian strijck, Old Saxon striki, Middle Low German streke, Low German streek, Danish streg, Swedish streck, Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk strek, Icelandic stryk, strykr, Dutch streek, Afrikaans streek, Old High German strih, German Strich, Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐍂𐌹𐌺𐍃 (striks).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed."
— 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
"Out went conversation in favour of fast and more immediate pleasures. We migrated on to texts, voice notes, emojis and the Snapchat “streak”."
— 2025 May 31, Jo Ellison, “The beguiling charm of a bedtime phone call”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 20:
"But speaking of cats, there's a good deal to be learned about women from them, 'Orace. […] I've known very few who wouldn't admit, between ourselves, that most others had a fair streak of the feline."
— 1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
"Rashford showed the fearless streak Southgate so admires with his constant willingness to run at Brazil's defence with pace, even demonstrating on occasion footwork that would not have been out of place from members of England's illustrious opposition."
— 2017 November 14, Phil McNulty, “England 0-0 Brazil”, in BBC News:
"Coinbase’s government work has proved highly controversial to many crypto fans, owing perhaps to the long-running libertarian streak in that community."
— 2022 June 29, Sam Biddle, “Cryptocurrency Titan Coinbase Providing "Geo Tracking Data" to ICE”, in The Intercept:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The basketball team has won ten games in a row this month, continuing their winning ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There was a long ____ of white paint on the floor where the worker had accidentally dropped his brush.