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

How to protect your data against hackers Lemonade is hardly alone in falling prey to cyberattacks. — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 3 July 2026

There are plenty of interiors, of course, ranging from Helen’s ex-boyfriend’s apartment to a dilapidated hacker’s den. — Alex Zalben, IndieWire, 2 July 2026

The retailer's security personnel was able to get the hackers off the company's computer network, and the ransom was not paid, prosecutors said. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Google is cracking down on an Israeli residential proxy provider for allegedly abusing connected TV devices to host internet traffic for hackers. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 2 July 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