hike

1 of 2

verb

hiked; hiking

intransitive verb

1
a
: to go on a hike
b
: to travel by any means
2
: to rise up
especially : to work upward out of place
skirt had hiked up in back

transitive verb

1
a
: to move, pull, or raise with a sudden motion
hiked himself onto the top bunk
c
: to raise in amount sharply or suddenly
hike rents
2
: to take on a hike
3
: to traverse on a hike
hike a trail
hiker noun

hike

2 of 2

noun

1
: a long walk especially for pleasure or exercise see also take a hike
2
: an increase especially in quantity or amount
a new wage hike
3

Examples of hike in a Sentence

Verb We spent the afternoon hiking around the lake. She hiked 10 miles in the hot desert sun. We hiked some of the shorter trails. Our neighbors spent their vacation hiking the Rockies. The state keeps hiking the tax on cigarettes. There's talk of hiking the eligibility age. I hiked myself onto the ledge. Noun We went for a hike around the lake. The school lost a number of students after the tuition hike.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Those who want to hike a bit more can also tackle the three-mile Five Oaks Trail, which has views of Julian, or the nearly five-mile, moderate Volcan Mountain Trail. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2025 The United States has hiked tariffs to the highest level since the Great Depression, and Japan’s incoming prime minister has endorsed lower interest rates and higher borrowing. Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
The road features entrances and exits from all major federal and state highways with plenty of places to camp, hike, and plan an amazing picnic along the way. Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025 Broadcast on our way to the hikes, Hope Sandoval’s solo projects and Thom Yorke at night. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hike

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps akin to hitch entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1809, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hike was in 1809

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hike. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

hike

1 of 2 verb
hiked; hiking
1
: to move or raise up
hike rents
2
: to go on a long walk
hiker noun

hike

2 of 2 noun
1
: a long walk especially for pleasure or exercise
2
: an upward movement : rise
a price hike

More from Merriam-Webster on hike

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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