English

Verb

strike a chord

1. (idiomatic) To elicit a significant reaction, especially one which is favorable or sympathetic.
   • 1997 Sept. 13, Geoffrey Norris, "Holy minimalist who touched a chord," Telegraph (UK) (retrieved 27 Sep 2015):

     [T]his brand of ecstatic meditation, shared by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, has struck a chord with record-buyers, and works such as "The Protecting Veil" (1989) for cello and strings have achieved cult status and huge sales on disc.

   • 2011 June 19, Harold Heckle, "Spaniards march to protest high unemployment, political leadership," The Star (Canada) (retrieved 27 Sep 2015):

     Protests began May 15 and spread to cities across the country, striking a chord with hundreds of thousands fed-up with the wage cuts and tax hikes.

   • 2015 June 15, Collin Binkley, "Pet Photo Series Aims to Counter 'Black Dog' Theory," www.msn.com (retrieved 27 Sep 2015):

     The photos struck a chord online and quickly went viral.

2. (idiomatic) To convey a feeling or meaning which someone personally internalizes and takes to heart.
   • 2015 Aug. 4, Nicholas Keung, "Holocaust survivors make sure those in need 'not forgotten'," The Star (Canada) (retrieved 27 Sep 2015):

     “The movie just struck a chord with him and he started telling us about his story and experience during the Holocaust.”

Synonyms

• (elicit a reaction, especially a favorable or sympathetic one): touch a chord
• (convey feeling or meaning which one internalizes): hit home

Antonyms

• (elicit a reaction, especially a favorable or sympathetic one): touch a nerve