hit back
phrasal verb
hit back; hitting back; hits back
informal
: to attack or criticize someone after being attacked or criticized by them
Weary of her rival's accusations, the candidate hit back with an aggressive ad campaign.
The team hit back with a touchdown of their own.
—often + atThe Senator hit back at his critics.
Examples of hit back in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Naturally, the hip-hopper hit back relentlessly on Instagram after the drop Sunday, with a handful of posts trolling King.
—
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 May 2024
But these actions have also emboldened Russian cybercriminals to hit back at US critical infrastructure.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 10 May 2024
More:Kevin Spacey hits back at documentary set to feature allegations 'dating back 48 years'
Kennedy, son of liberal icon Robert Kennedy, is running a distant third place against President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 6 May 2024
China’s Foreign Ministry, which has previously hit back at such swipes, struck a measured tone on Thursday.
—TIME, 18 Apr. 2024
Well, clearly somewhat peeved at being dethroned, Bulgari has hit back with the Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC, regaining the crown for creating the thinnest watch on the planet.
—Jeremy White, WIRED, 11 Apr. 2024
Despite this, relatively small U.S. military bases in Syria and Iraq came under fire from various militia groups, which led the U.S. to hit back.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 6 Apr. 2024
Earlier this week, Iranian leaders vowed to hit back after an airstrike widely blamed on Israel destroyed Iran's Consulate in Syria, killing 12 people, including two elite Iranian generals.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Apr. 2024
Republicans hit back at Harris’s visit in a statement ahead of her appearance.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 4 Apr. 2024
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 May 2024
But these actions have also emboldened Russian cybercriminals to hit back at US critical infrastructure.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 10 May 2024
More:Kevin Spacey hits back at documentary set to feature allegations 'dating back 48 years'
Kennedy, son of liberal icon Robert Kennedy, is running a distant third place against President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 6 May 2024
China’s Foreign Ministry, which has previously hit back at such swipes, struck a measured tone on Thursday.
—TIME, 18 Apr. 2024
Well, clearly somewhat peeved at being dethroned, Bulgari has hit back with the Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC, regaining the crown for creating the thinnest watch on the planet.
—Jeremy White, WIRED, 11 Apr. 2024
Despite this, relatively small U.S. military bases in Syria and Iraq came under fire from various militia groups, which led the U.S. to hit back.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 6 Apr. 2024
Earlier this week, Iranian leaders vowed to hit back after an airstrike widely blamed on Israel destroyed Iran's Consulate in Syria, killing 12 people, including two elite Iranian generals.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Apr. 2024
Republicans hit back at Harris’s visit in a statement ahead of her appearance.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hit back.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near hit back
Cite this Entry
“Hit back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hit%20back. Accessed 19 May. 2024.
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