hit back
phrasal verb
hit back; hitting back; hits back
informal
: to attack or criticize someone after being attacked or criticized by them
Weary of her rival's accusations, the candidate hit back with an aggressive ad campaign.
The team hit back with a touchdown of their own.
—often + atThe Senator hit back at his critics.
Examples of hit back in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But the specter of layoffs remains hypothetical for now, and is part of Johnson’s ongoing messaging to hit back at City Council in the weeks leading up to and following his defeat in a 30-18 vote.
—
Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Democratic officials from these states are hitting back against the funding cuts.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 6 Jan. 2026
Kohler hit back-to-back 3-pointers and also assisted on a Divine Ugochukwu layup following a USC turnover to finish off the outburst.
—Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026
Champagnie hit back-to-back 3-pointers, capping a 16-2 run that tied the game at 86 midway through the third.
—CBS News, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hit back
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Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Democratic officials from these states are hitting back against the funding cuts.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 6 Jan. 2026
Kohler hit back-to-back 3-pointers and also assisted on a Divine Ugochukwu layup following a USC turnover to finish off the outburst.
—Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026
Champagnie hit back-to-back 3-pointers, capping a 16-2 run that tied the game at 86 midway through the third.
—CBS News, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hit back
Cite this Entry
“Hit back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hit%20back. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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