hitchhike
verb
hitch·hike
ˈhich-ˌhīk 
hitchhiked; hitchhiking; hitchhikes
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
: to solicit and obtain (a free ride) especially in a passing vehicle
hitchhiker
noun
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
In another extraordinary anecdote, Chang describes hitchhiking her way across remote China to a labor camp her father was being held in, to lift his spirits.
—
Emily Feng, NPR, 13 Jan. 2026
Bunnie, 45, went on to reveal her own harrowing hitchhiking experience after agreeing with her podcast co-hosts that the method of traveling for free with a passing vehicle is rare now compared to the ‘60s.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
The woman reportedly attempted to hitchhike when she was fatally stabbed near a bus stop.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 26 Dec. 2025
The book folds together his dual life, Deadhead kid hitchhiking to a concert and the scale-up CEO advising founders burning through growth curves never before seen in tech.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hitchhike
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Emily Feng, NPR, 13 Jan. 2026
Bunnie, 45, went on to reveal her own harrowing hitchhiking experience after agreeing with her podcast co-hosts that the method of traveling for free with a passing vehicle is rare now compared to the ‘60s.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
The woman reportedly attempted to hitchhike when she was fatally stabbed near a bus stop.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 26 Dec. 2025
The book folds together his dual life, Deadhead kid hitchhiking to a concert and the scale-up CEO advising founders burning through growth curves never before seen in tech.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hitchhike
Cite this Entry
“Hitchhike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hitchhike. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hitchhike
verb
hitch·hike
ˈhich-ˌhīk
: to travel by securing free rides from passing vehicles
hitchhiker
noun
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