hit-and-run

1 of 3

adjective

ˌhit-ᵊn-ˈrən 

1

: being or relating to a hit-and-run in baseball

2

: being or involving a motor-vehicle driver who does not stop after being involved in an accident

3

: involving or intended for quick specific action or results

a hit-and-run raid

hit-and-run

2 of 3

noun

: a baseball play calling for a runner on first to begin running as a pitch is delivered and for the batter to attempt to hit the pitch

hit-and-run

3 of 3

verb

hit-and-ran; hitting-and-running; hit-and-runs

intransitive verb

: to execute a hit-and-run play in baseball

Examples of hit-and-run in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Ten minutes later, at about 2:20 a.m. Sunday, the man’s date flagged down police officers who were in the area investigating a hit-and-run. —Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 7 Oct. 2025

The incident came days before Lacy was due in court after being charged with negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle during a police pursuit and accident in December. —Ben Church, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025

Verb

Police have arrested a Springdale man in connection with leaving the scene of a fatal hit-and-run collision, according to a news release. —Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2025

The driver fled the scene and was later arrested on hit-and-run and driving under the influence charges, police said. —Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1904, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1966, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hit-and-run

• anyone
• everyone
• megaton
• overdone
• overrun
• povidone
• trazodone
• begun
• grandson
• gudrun
• handgun
• homespun

Kids Definition

hit-and-run

adjective

-ˈrən

1

: being or involving a motor-vehicle driver who does not stop after having an accident

2

: involving or intended for quick action or results

Legal Definition

hit-and-run

adjective

1

: having left the scene of a motor vehicle accident without stopping to fulfill the duties imposed by law (as rendering aid or giving identification)

a hit-and-run driver

2

: involving or concerning a hit-and-run driver

a hit-and-run accident

hit-and-run statutes