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
Amazon is off 22% from the 52-week high hit back in early November.
—
Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 17 Feb. 2026
But California hit back by enacting new districts that are likely to turn five GOP seats blue.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
The Arizona Democrat hit back with a lawsuit.
—The Hill Staff, The Hill, 11 Feb. 2026
Attorneys for the tech titans hit back, saying in opening statements Monday and Tuesday that Kaley’s troubled home life and her fractious relationship with her family were to blame for her suffering, not the platforms.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hit back
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Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 17 Feb. 2026
But California hit back by enacting new districts that are likely to turn five GOP seats blue.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
The Arizona Democrat hit back with a lawsuit.
—The Hill Staff, The Hill, 11 Feb. 2026
Attorneys for the tech titans hit back, saying in opening statements Monday and Tuesday that Kaley’s troubled home life and her fractious relationship with her family were to blame for her suffering, not the platforms.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 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 19 Feb. 2026.
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