trek

1 of 2

verb

ˈtrek 

trekked; trekking

intransitive verb

1

: to make one's way arduously

broadly : journey

2

chiefly South Africa

a

: to travel by ox wagon

b

: to migrate by ox wagon or in a train of such

trekker noun

trek

2 of 2

noun

1

: a trip or movement especially when involving difficulties or complex organization : an arduous journey

2

chiefly South Africa : a journey by ox wagon

especially : an organized migration by a group of settlers

Synonyms

Verb

• travel
• journey
• tour
• trip
• voyage
• pilgrimage

Noun

• trip
• expedition
• journey

Examples of trek in a Sentence

Verb

We had to trek up six flights of stairs with our groceries.

On their vacation last year they went trekking in the Himalayas.

We trekked across the country in her old car.

Noun

Our car broke down and we had a long trek back to town.

a trek across the country

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

An accompanying video, originally from the same Instagram account, has also been widely shared, purporting to show the moments before this gathering, with people seen trekking up a hill. —Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025

These proclaimed the Midpeninsula Wine Trail an easy way to get your wine fix without trekking to Wine Country. —Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025

Noun

Sabel made the trek and quickly realized the greater need in Sri Lanka and worldwide was for regasification facilities that receive the LNG and covert it back into gas for power generation. —Jordan Blum, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2025

This half-mile outdoor Halloween trek has gory content, strobe lights and spooky sounds. —Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Afrikaans, from Dutch trecken to pull, haul, migrate; akin to Old High German trechan to pull

Noun

Afrikaans, from Dutch treck pull, haul, from trecken

First Known Use

Verb

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for trek

• beck
• breck
• check
• cheque
• czech
• deck
• fleck
• keck
• mech
• neck
• peck
• reck

Kids Definition

trek

1 of 2 verb

ˈtrek 

trekked; trekking

1

chiefly South African : to travel or migrate by ox wagon or in a train of such wagons

2

: to make one's way slowly and painfully

trekker noun

trek

2 of 2 noun

1

chiefly South African : an organized journey or migration of a group of settlers traveling by ox wagon

2

: a slow or difficult journey

Etymology

Verb

from Afrikaans trek, "to travel by ox wagon," from Dutch trecken "to haul, pull"