biohacking

noun

bio·​hack·​ing ˈbī-ō-ˌha-kiŋ 

: biological experimentation (as by gene editing or the use of drugs or implants) done to improve the qualities or capabilities of living organisms especially by individuals and groups working outside a traditional medical or scientific research environment

Every November, college kids from Michigan to Munich descend on MIT, eager to show off their biohacking skills. In the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, teams battle one another to build the coolest synthetically altered organisms.

—Alexandra Witze

often : such experimentation done on one's own body

… the debate has intensified over whether biohacking—body modification and augmentation with the aim of gaining enhanced abilities—should be subject to strict regulation. Other biohacking stunts have included DIY biologists injecting themselves with CRISPR and with experimental HIV treatments.

—Xavier Symons

Biohacking is still a niche field, but the possibilities are growing. The most successful innovations so far are small magnets that can be implanted in your fingertips, allowing you to feel electric fields. Also popular are … chips … which can be implanted under the skin and used as remote keys, wallets and data storage devices.

—Frank Swain

biohacker

ˈbī-ō-ˌha-kər 

noun

plural biohackers

[Dave] Asprey, 42, is a self-described biohacker—somebody who uses science and technology to make his or her body function better and more efficiently. There are about 100,000 biohackers worldwide, Asprey estimates, and among them, he's a celebrity.

—Gordy Megroz

Examples of biohacking in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These treatments can include anything from cold plunges to biohacking, but in recent years, hotel chains are pursuing fresh, new treatments that are impactful on a spiritual level. —Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 12 Dec. 2025

The most visible expression of biohacking is cognitive enhancement. —Ascend Agency, Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2025

Each of the panelists underlined how wealthy consumers are shifting their spend to longevity and biohacking to reverse or slow aging. —Hyku Desesto, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025

While Hollywood is home to its fair share of medical spas and wellness clinics, Giffen Aesthetics stands out for being a leader in merging advanced aesthetics with regenerative medicine and biohacking. —Nick Franck, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

Even in the wellness world, our growing obsession with longevity and biohacking subtly sells the message that youth is the ultimate marker of not only health, but also desirability, value, and beauty. —Jenna Ryu, SELF, 1 Oct. 2025

Its rise parallels consumer interest in longevity and biohacking. —Deena Campbell, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2025

What began as a 2,500-square-foot personal healing space became a 15,000-square-foot Miami biohacking flagship, now part of a growing portfolio of high-tech wellness system centers across Miami. —Stephan Rabimov, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025

Haaland holds the Premier League record for most goals in a season Caroline Tompkins for TIME For Ake and others, Haaland’s oddball biohacking habits serve as fodder. —Sean Gregory, Time, 31 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

bio- + hacking, gerund of hack entry 1

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for biohacking

• attacking
• backpacking
• backtracking
• hijacking
• kayaking
• meatpacking
• ransacking
• repacking
• unpacking
• backing
• blacking
• clacking