hit

1 of 2

verb

ˈhit 

hit; hitting

transitive verb

1

a

: to reach with or as if with a sudden blow

His mom told him to stop hitting his sister.

b

: to come in quick forceful contact with

the ball hit the window

He was hit by a car.

The tank was hit by enemy fire.

c

: to strike (something, such as a ball) with an object (such as a bat, club, or racket) so as to impart or redirect motion

hit a fastball into the outfield

2

a

: to cause to come into contact

She accidentally hit her head getting into the car.

b

: to deliver (something, such as a blow) by action

c

: to apply forcefully or suddenly

hit the brakes

Will someone hit the lights?

3

: to affect especially detrimentally

farmers hit by drought

Many families were hit hard during the recession.

4

: to make a request of

hit his friend for 10 dollars

—often used with up

hit us up for some change

5

: to discover or meet especially by chance

prospectors hitting gold

hit a snowstorm while driving home

hit a run of bad luck

6

a

: to accord with : suit

hits public tastes

b

: reach, attain

prices hit a new high

kept digging until he hit water

She'll hit 50 on her next birthday.

c

: to arrive or appear at, in, or on

hit town

the best time to hit the stores

The newest issue hits newsstands tomorrow.

d

of fish : to bite at or on

will only hit live bait

e

: to reflect accurately

hit the right note

f

: to reach or strike (something, such as a target) especially for a score in a game or contest

couldn't seem to hit the basket

g

baseball : bat sense 2b

a player who can hit .300

7

: to indulge in excessively

He repeatedly hit the bottle [=drank alcoholic beverages excessively] and, following a wild binge, was exiled to a remote post in the mountains …

—Stanley Karnow

8

: to deal another card to (as in blackjack)

hit me

intransitive verb

1

a

: to strike a blow

boxers hitting furiously at each other

b

: to arrive with a forceful effect like that of a blow

the storm hit

2

a

: to come into contact with something

the plate shattered when it hit

b

: attack

where the terrorists would hit next

c

of a fish : strike sense 11b

d

baseball : bat sense 1

next up to hit

3

: to succeed in attaining or coming up with something

—often used with on or upon

hit on a solution

4

obsolete : to be in agreement : suit

5

of an internal combustion engine : to fire a quantity of mixed fuel and air in the cylinders (see cylinder sense 2b)

the engine wouldn't hit

hitter noun

hit

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act or instance of striking or forcefully coming in contact with someone or something : an act or instance of hitting or being hit

penalized for an illegal hit from behind

The bunker took a direct hit from the bombers.

2

a

: a stroke of luck

b

: a great success

The show was a big hit.

a compilation of the band's greatest hits

The pony rides were a hit with the kids.

3

: a telling or critical remark

4

baseball : base hit

5

: a quantity of a drug ingested at one time

took a hit of LSD

6

: a premeditated murder committed especially by a member of a crime syndicate (see syndicate entry 1 sense 3c)

a hit on a rival gang leader

7

: an instance of connecting to a particular website

a million hits per day

8

: a successful match in a search (as of a computer database or the Internet)

hitless

ˈhit-ləs 

adjective

Phrases

hit it big

: to achieve great success

hit it off

: to get along well : become friends

they hit it off immediately

hit on

: to make especially sexual overtures to

hit the books

: to study especially with intensity

hit the fan

: to have a major usually undesirable impact

hit the ground running

: to begin or proceed quickly, energetically, or effectively

hit the hay or hit the sack

: to go to bed

hit the high points or hit the high spots

: to touch on or at the most important points or places

hit the jackpot

: to become notably and unexpectedly successful

hit the nail on the head

: to be exactly right

hit the road

: leave, travel

also : to set out

hit the roof or hit the ceiling

: to give vent to a burst of anger or angry protest

hit the spot

: to give complete or special satisfaction

—used especially of food or drink

hit the wall

1

: to reach the point of physical exhaustion during strenuous activity

2

: to reach a limiting point or situation at which progress or success ceases

Synonyms

Verb

• bang
• bash
• bat
• belt
• biff
• bludgeon
• bob
• bonk
• bop
• box
• bust
• clap
• clip
• clobber
• clock
• clout
• crack
• hammer
• knock
• nail
• paste
• pound
• punch
• rap
• slam
• slap
• slog
• slug
• smack
• smite
• sock
• strike
• swat
• swipe
• tag
• thump
• thwack
• wallop
• whack
• whale
• zap

Noun

• blockbuster
• megahit
• smash
• success
• supernova
• winner

Examples of hit in a Sentence

Verb

She told her son to stop hitting his sister.

She hit him hard with her purse.

The boxers hit each other with their fists.

The boxers were hitting furiously at each other.

She hit the ball right to the shortstop.

The ball hit the house.

The plate shattered when it hit the floor.

The tank was hit by enemy fire.

He was hit by a car.

The ship hit an iceberg.

Noun

The player was penalized for an illegal hit from behind.

The torpedo made a direct hit.

The pony ride was a big hit at the party.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The lack of ammunition and Russian attacks on Ukrainian towns and cities means Kyiv has to do everything to hit the enemy, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity. —Daryna Krasnolutska, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2024

Butler’s less famous teammates surely do draw confidence from their on-court leader, but their sudden ability to hit three-point shots during the playoffs may also have been a random gift from the basketball gods. —Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024

Up next, Levy and Reynolds will work with their mutual friend, Jackman, in Marvel’s upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine, which is set to hit theaters this summer and sees the X-Men star come out of retirement as the clawed superhero. —Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Apr. 2024

Over the years, tons of narcotics produced on Wa soil have hit the black market, and traffickers have smuggled them onto American shores. —Patrick Winn, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2024

All the way through the lineup, the girls have been hitting well. —Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024

In January, an F1 tornado hit Catawba County, killing one. —Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2024

The affidavit noted both cars hit each other while trying to avoid other vehicles. —Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2024

Peregrine falcons have made a comeback in the U.S. after large populations declines hit the species in the mid ‘90s due to pesticide contamination affected their ability to reproduce. —Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Apr. 2024

Noun

But the Dodgers pounded left-hander Tom Cosgrove for three runs and three hits in the bottom of the sixth, a rally that started with Max Muncy getting hit by a pitch. —Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2024

Game 1: Royals limited to three hits as 7-game winning streak ends vs. Mets Start Fast: How the Royals registered one of their hottest starts in franchise history Take a look back at Saturday’s game: Royals offense explodes once again The Royals continue to surge offensively. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2024

The film grossed more than $1 billion at the box office last summer and became a pop culture hit. —Herb Scribner, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024

Hess and the Alabama bullpen rose up from there, holding the Hogs without a hit for five consecutive innings. —Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 13 Apr. 2024

The saga of Pete Rose, the major leagues’ career hits leader, who was barred from baseball in the 1980s for betting on the sport, was on everyone’s mind. —Michael S. Schmidt, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024

The Braves fall to 8-5. Meyer, who missed all of the 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, worked around six hits and a hit by pitch to put together arguably the best start of his young MLB career. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2024

Evan Robson powered the offense with three hits and a team high four RBIs. —Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024

That would be a hit for Californians struggling to find housing in an expensive state where thousands sleep on the streets. —Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Old English hyttan, probably from Old Norse hitta to meet with, hit

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hit

• hit list
• hit the big five-oh
• hit the bull's-eye
• hit the mark
• hit the hay
• hit the slopes
• hit top gear
• no-hit
• base hit
• hit back
• hit man
• hit-and-run
• hit or miss
• hard-hit
• hit a snag
• hit-and-miss
• hit out at
• hit one's stride
• extra-base hit
• hit the airwaves
• hit hard
• hit/knock (someone) for six
• hit parade
• hit on
• hit bottom
• hit it on the nose
• hit it off
• hit the deck
• hit-maker
• hit/reach rock bottom
• hit/strike pay dirt
• hit it
• hit it big
• hit the gas
• hit the buffers
• hit/strike home
• hit the big four-oh
• hit record
• hit/strike/touch a nerve
• hit the dirt
• hit the light
• hit the ground
• hit the showers
• hit the skids
• hit the roof
• hit the nail on the head
• hit him like a ton of bricks
• push/hit/press the panic button
• one hit wonder
• hit the high points
• hit the jackpot
• hit the ground running
• hit the town
• hit the sack
• hit the spot
• hit the fan
• hit the high spots
• know what hit one
• hit up
• hit the ceiling
• hit the streets
• switch-hit
• infield hit
• pinch hit
• hit-making
• touch/strike/hit a raw nerve
• hit the street
• hit the pavement
• scratch hit
• hit the bottle
• hit the trail
• hit the road
• hit the wall
• sacrifice hit
• hit the books

Kids Definition

hit

1 of 2 verb

ˈhit 

hit; hitting

1

a

: to strike usually with force

hit a ball

the ball hit the house

b

: to make or bring into contact with something

tipped over and hit the floor

c

: to strike something aimed at

hit the bull's-eye

2

a

: attack entry 1 sense 1

b

: to affect as if by a blow

3

: to arrive with a forceful effect

the storm hit at sundown

4

a

: to come upon : discover

hit upon the answer accidentally

b

: to get to : reach

hit town that night

prices hit a new high

c

: to reflect accurately

hits the right note

5

: to fire the charge in the cylinders

hitter noun

hit

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: a blow striking an object aimed at

b

: blow entry 4 sense 1, collision

2

a

: a stroke of luck

b

: a great success

the show was a hit

3

: base hit

4

: a single dose of a narcotic drug

5

: an instance of a computer user connecting to a given website

a million hits per day

6

: a successful match in a computer search