hitchhike

verb

hitch·hike | \ ˈhich-ˌhīk

hitchhiked; hitchhiking; hitchhikes

Definition of hitchhike

intransitive verb

1 : to travel by securing free rides from passing vehicles

2 : to be carried or transported by chance or unintentionally destructive insects hitchhiking on ships

transitive verb

: to solicit and obtain (a free ride) especially in a passing vehicle

Other Words from hitchhike Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about hitchhike

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Examples of hitchhike in a Sentence

Her car broke down, so she had to hitchhike back home. He hitchhiked his way across the country last summer.

Recent Examples on the Web

As food became increasingly scarce, Ms. García set out on a nearly 600-mile journey with her 18-year-old daughter, hitchhiking most of the way. — Ernesto LondoÑo, New York Times, "‘Their Country Is Being Invaded’: Exodus of Venezuelans Overwhelms Northern Brazil," 28 Apr. 2018 The prize went to Ida Falck Øien and Harald Lunde Helgesen of Haikw/. Haik means to hitchhike in Norwegian, and every season the designers ask collaborators—and customers—to come on a journey with them. — Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, "Haikw/ Wins the 2018 Bik Bok Runway Award in Oslo," 18 Aug. 2018 Since a caravan of Central Americans arrived in Tijuana last month after walking, hitchhiking and taking buses across Mexico, daily apprehensions in the San Diego sector have jumped about 45 percent. — Daniel Ochoa De Olza, The Seattle Times, "Border clash marks 2nd use of tear gas in just over a month," 2 Jan. 2019 The frogs would have to hitchhike across a state border to reach the area, and there’s some doubt tadpoles could even survive there. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Endangered Species Scare," 26 July 2018 At the memorial, my cousin Kya told the story of when, in 1977, my Uncle Lee, my dad, and their three brothers had divided up the children in the family and hitchhiked to Michigan to celebrate my grandma Eleanor’s birthday. — Alice Driver, Longreads, "‘Forgive Yourself. And Forgive Me.’," 20 Mar. 2018 Under the aegis of Pueblo Sin Fronteras, or People Without Borders, a transnational advocacy group, the migrants moved north en masse — on foot, hitchhiking and on the tops of trains. — Kirk Semple, New York Times, "As Migrant Caravan Splinters, Trump Takes Credit and Mexico Scoffs," 5 Apr. 2018 That philosophy and my consciousness of the world was instilled early on by my grandmother, who hitchhiked across the globe and met my grandfather in India in the late forties—a crazy thing for a young white woman to do at the time. — Leila Janah, Glamour, "This Sustainable Moisturizer Laughs In the Face of 12-Hour Days," 17 Oct. 2018 The former Pro Bowl tight end is accused of kidnapping and raping a 54-year-old transient woman who was hitchhiking in March. — A.j. Perez, USA TODAY, "Could Kellen Winslow Jr.'s lawyers use CTE as a defense in sex-crimes case?," 15 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hitchhike.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.