hitchhike

verb

hitch·​hike ˈhich-ˌhīk 

hitchhiked; hitchhiking; hitchhikes

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

hitchhiker noun

Synonyms of hitchhike

• hitch

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

At Loyola, his eye for the absurd found a feast in the French Quarter; his interview series, Quarter Confessions, eventually birthed his memoir-zine, All Gas, No Brakes, a document of a 70-day hitchhiking journey across America. —Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026

Prosecutors said Hague hitchhiked to Anchorage the day after he was interviewed by troopers. —Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026

Your journey may not be as dramatic as Bob Dylan hitchhiking from Minnesota to Greenwich Village. —Bill Gurley, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026

This is a prime way these insects hitchhike to their next location. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for hitchhike

• alike
• belike
• birdlike
• catlike
• childlike
• christlike
• deathlike
• dislike
• dreamlike
• friedreich
• godlike
• hairlike

Kids Definition

hitchhike

verb

hitch·​hike ˈhich-ˌhīk 

: to travel by securing free rides from passing vehicles

hitchhiker noun