C1idiomcommunicationIELTS-friendly
strike a chord
USUK
to make people feel sympathy or emotion because it matches their own experience
Use 'with' before the people affected. Don't confuse it with 'touch a nerve', which is about upsetting someone.
In context
Her speech about growing up poor struck a chord with many students.
The film strikes a chord with anyone who has moved to a big city alone.
More idioms about communication
- a bone of contentiona subject that people keep arguing about
- a broken recordsomeone who keeps repeating the same thing in an annoying way
- a heart-to-heartan honest, private conversation about personal feelings
- a moot pointUK: a question still open to argument. US: a question that no longer matters in practice.
- a red herringa fact or idea that takes attention away from the real issue