hashtag

noun

hash·​tag ˈhash-ˌtag How to pronounce hashtag (audio)
plural hashtags
: a word or phrase preceded by the symbol # that classifies or categorizes the accompanying text (such as a tweet)
You know a thing is really a thing these days when it has its own hashtag. And there it was last week, trending on Twitter alongside #cincodemayo and #happymothersday: #umpshow, which sprang up in the wake of some shockingly bad umpiring over the first six weeks of the major league season.Joe Sheehan
It's also true that a popular hashtag can benefit important and worthy subjects, such as the recently kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls.Mark Leibovich
also : the symbol # as used in a hashtag

Did you know?

Hashtags are an everyday part of Internet culture, thanks to social media. Originally designed for categorizing posts (i.e., tagging them) on Twitter, hashtags now commonly also supplement or comment on whatever text or image they accompany. The “hash” in hashtag is short for hash mark, a term for what we also call a pound sign or, if you want to apply the word-nerdiest designation, an octothorpe. Hash in this case is probably an alteration of hatch, a term for the lines artists sometimes use to add shading to a drawing. #WordNerdery

Examples of hashtag in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On social media, please spread the word using the hashtag #cincySOTW. Melanie Laughman, The Enquirer, 11 Mar. 2024 To identify the accounts, first, reporters searched for Instagram hashtags associated with child influencers. Michael H. Keller, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Using relevant hashtags or observing which creators and brands collaborate with each other are two ways to actively seek new voices in your feed. Erleia, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 The hashtag #boycottzara has more than 86 million views on the social platform. Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2024 Social-media posts condemning the practice often carry the hashtag #ABAIsAbuse. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 12 Feb. 2024 The product’s hashtag itself was social media sensation, with more than 435 million views on Tiktok. Jason Sheeler, Peoplemag, 11 Feb. 2024 Another makes recommendations about increasing visibility by using specific hashtags and photographers. Michael H. Keller, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 The reports about the unsuccessful 2006 campaign spawned a hashtag #narcopresidente — narco president — which exploded on social media. Mary Beth Sheridan, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hashtag.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

2007, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hashtag was in 2007

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near hashtag

Cite this Entry

“Hashtag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hashtag. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hashtag

noun
hash·​tag
ˈhash-ˌtag
: a word or phrase preceded by the symbol # that classifies or categorizes the accompanying text (such as a tweet)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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