hike

1 of 3

verb

ˈhīk 

hiked; hiking

intransitive verb

1

a

: to go on a hike

b

: to travel by any means

2

: to rise up

especially : to work upward out of place

skirt had hiked up in back

transitive verb

1

a

: to move, pull, or raise with a sudden motion

hiked himself onto the top bunk

b

: snap sense transitive 6b

c

: to raise in amount sharply or suddenly

hike rents

2

: to take on a hike

3

: to traverse on a hike

hike a trail

hiker noun

hike

2 of 3

noun (1)

1

: a long walk especially for pleasure or exercise see also take a hike

2

: an increase especially in quantity or amount

a new wage hike

3

: snap sense 11

hiker

3 of 3

noun (2)

hik·​er

-kə(r)

plural -s

: one that hikes

especially : a person who goes on a hike for pleasure or exercise

Synonyms of hike

Verb

• stroll
• walk

Examples of hike in a Sentence

Verb

We spent the afternoon hiking around the lake.

She hiked 10 miles in the hot desert sun.

We hiked some of the shorter trails.

Our neighbors spent their vacation hiking the Rockies.

The state keeps hiking the tax on cigarettes.

There's talk of hiking the eligibility age.

I hiked myself onto the ledge.

Noun (1)

We went for a hike around the lake.

The school lost a number of students after the tuition hike.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

So his father rented a satellite phone for him, and Bond and his dog hiked it, all alone, clearing almost 30 miles per day. — Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026

The festival, with a capacity of 80,000 people, also was hit with mud and rain in 2023 as many attendees were trapped on its grounds, where vehicle traffic was temporarily limited and some hiked in the mud to nearby towns. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026

Noun

Costco set purchase limits and price hikes on motor oil as the company grapples with rising prices from global energy market disruptions. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 15 Sep. 2026

On his 71st birthday, Pope Leo XIV gave Vatican workers a raise, repealing pandemic-era salary cuts and frozen pay hikes first imposed under Pope Francis to shore up finances. — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps akin to hitch entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1809, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hike

• go take a hike
• take a hike

Rhymes for hike

• bike
• dike
• ike
• like
• mike
• psych
• pyke
• shrike
• spike
• strike
• tike
• alike

Kids Definition

hike

1 of 2 verb

ˈhīk 

hiked; hiking

1

: to move or raise up

hike rents

2

: to go on a long walk

hiker noun

hike

2 of 2 noun

1

: a long walk especially for pleasure or exercise

2

: an upward movement : rise

a price hike