hacker

noun

hack·​er ˈha-kər 

1

: one that hacks

2

: a person who is inexperienced or unskilled at a particular activity

a tennis hacker

3

: an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer

4

: a person who illegally gains access to and sometimes tampers with information in a computer system

Synonyms of hacker

• cracker
• cyberpunk
• geek

Examples of hacker in a Sentence

My friends and I have been playing golf for years, but we're still just a bunch of hackers.

the company's security experts spent days trying to figure out how a hacker could have gotten past the firewall

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, that process was based on a predictable pattern, allowing hackers who possessed a sample seed phrase to use trial-and-error to guess others—and clean out Coldcard owners in the process. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026

That discussion was largely theoretical, centered on a future in which AI might make phishing more convincing, malware easier to develop and hackers more productive. — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

This week, PCMag's security team touched down in the sweltering heat of Las Vegas to join thousands of hackers, researchers, and enterprise defenders at Black Hat. — Kim Key, PC Magazine, 8 Aug. 2026

But the worry is that hackers could cause greater disruptions, such as a surge in water pressure that could burst pipes and endanger critical facilities, including hospitals, Corman said. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hacker

• acker
• backer
• blacker
• cracker
• lacquer
• packer
• slacker
• stacker
• thacker
• tracker
• attacker
• backpacker

Kids Definition

hacker

noun

hack·​er ˈhak-ər 

1

: one that hacks

2

: a person who is unskilled at a particular activity

3

: an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer

4

: a person who illegally gains access to a computer system