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
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
Albania has long accused Iran of backing hackers who attack the country’s cyber infrastructure, after Albania sheltered members of an Iranian opposition group.
—
Zana Cimili, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
The hackers eventually followed through, releasing thousands of usernames and email addresses tied to Ashley Madison accounts.
—Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 9 June 2026
But there are several clues that point to the hacker’s identity.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
Consider that, for all the talk of cybersecurity, this administration has also gutted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the government agency that aims to protect the nation against hackers.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hacker
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Zana Cimili, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
The hackers eventually followed through, releasing thousands of usernames and email addresses tied to Ashley Madison accounts.
—Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 9 June 2026
But there are several clues that point to the hacker’s identity.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
Consider that, for all the talk of cybersecurity, this administration has also gutted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the government agency that aims to protect the nation against hackers.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hacker
Cite this Entry
“Hacker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hacker. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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