hitched; hitching; hitches
1
: to move by jerks or with a tug
hitching his chair closer to the table
2
a
: to catch or fasten by or as if by a hook or knot
hitched his horse to the fence post
b(1)
: to connect (a vehicle or implement) with a source of motive power
hitch a rake to a tractor
(2)
: to attach (a source of motive power) to a vehicle or instrument
hitch the horses to the wagon
c
: to join in marriage
got hitched
3
: hitchhike
hitched a ride into town
1
: to move with halts and jerks : hobble
hitched along on her cane
2
a
: to become entangled, made fast, or linked
b
: to become joined in marriage
3
: hitchhike
hitched back home
hitcher
noun
1
: limp
had a hitch in his step
2
: a sudden movement or pull : jerk
gave his trousers a hitch
3
a
: a sudden halt : stoppage
a hitch in the performance
b
: a usually unforeseen difficulty or obstacle
The plan went off without a hitch.
4
: the act or fact of catching hold
5
: a connection between a vehicle or implement and a detachable source of power (such as a tractor or horse)
attached a trailer hitch to his pickup
6
: a delimited period especially of military service
serving a four-year hitch in the navy
7
: any of various knots used to form a temporary noose in a line or to secure a line temporarily to an object
8
: lift entry 2 sense 5b
catching a hitch into town
Synonyms
Examples of hitch in a Sentence
Verb
hitch a trailer to a car
He hitched across the country last summer.
He hitched his way across the country last summer.
Noun
The plan went off without a hitch.
He went back to college after doing his hitch in the army.
a seven-year hitch at the newspaper
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024
Outside the operations center, a soldier hitched a small trailer to the back of the land drone, which was a bit bigger than a Radio Flyer wagon, and loaded it with thirty antitank mines.
—Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hitch 
Verb
The owner of Truth Social, a social media platform exclusively hitched to Donald Trump, staged an initial public offering March 26 amid a torrent of speculation over how many billions the IPO would produce for Trump himself.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024
Outside the operations center, a soldier hitched a small trailer to the back of the land drone, which was a bit bigger than a Radio Flyer wagon, and loaded it with thirty antitank mines.
—Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hitch
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hitch.' 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 hitch
Cite this Entry
“Hitch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hitch. Accessed 6 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hitch
2 of 2 noun1
: a jerky movement or pull
2
: an unexpected stop or obstacle
the plan went off without a hitch
3
: the connection between something towed (as a plow or trailer) and its mover (as a tractor, automobile, or animal)
4
: a knot used for a temporary fastening
5
: a period usually of military service
do a hitch in the army
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