Definition of "stroking" [strok•ing]

• Present participle of stroke. (verb)
• The act by which something is stroked. (noun)
• The act of laying small gathers in cloth in regular order. (noun)

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• "It reads like you are more interested in stroking your ego than responding to criticism. —"
• "And I certainly don't recall feeling like I succeeded particularly in stroking my own ego by emblazoning every found object in my room (and the laundry) with my scarlet letter Gs. To this day I am still attracted to things with the letter G on them."
• "Sending out "mixed messages" that arouse interest, deliberately fishing about to see if we can get a little "stroking" - this is toxic, manipulative, adolescent."