hacker

noun

ˈha-kər How to pronounce hacker (audio)
Definition of hackernext
1
as in cracker
a person who illegally gains access to a computer system and sometimes tampers with its information the company's security experts spent days trying to figure out how a hacker could have gotten past the firewall

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in amateur
a person who lacks experience and competence in an art or science weekend golf hackers who are there mainly for the social networking

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hacker By doing so, Congress is effectively inviting hackers and fraudsters into our digital wallets and opening the door for adversarial foreign networks to access the private financial data of American citizens. — Raquel Mitchell, Boston Herald, 8 July 2026 This position helps protect California’s web applications, cloud systems and AI tools from hackers and security threats. — Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026 All that access exponentially increases the points of vulnerability and plays right into the hands of hackers. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 7 July 2026 There are plenty of interiors, of course, ranging from Helen’s ex-boyfriend’s apartment to a dilapidated hacker’s den. — Alex Zalben, IndieWire, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hacker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hacker
  1. cyberpunk
  2. amateur
  3. geek
  4. kid
  5. beginner
  6. hack
  7. novice
Noun
  • Cyberpunk is the best known of all, assuming itself as an antithesis of utopian visions of science fiction worlds and simultaneously as a space of dystopias in which the cyberpunk fights against artificial intelligence that controls the world.
    — Paulo Nuno VicenteAll, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
  • Many are financed through crowdfunding, with subscribers garnering exclusive perks, and embrace subtitles and alternate audio (a series like the Japanese cyberpunk Milky Subway is dubbed in 10 different languages).
    — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of cyberpunk
Noun
  • This summer, attendance grew to more than 500, most of them beginners or amateur climbers.
    — Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • This summer, attendance grew to more than 500, most of them beginners or amateur climbers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026
Definition of amateur
Noun
  • The weekend-afternoon sales events became a phenomenon, drawing crowds to marvel at his wide-ranging tastes — not just hardcore music geeks or bibliophiles, but appreciators of New York cultural lore.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2026
  • By now, however, most know him as the lovable, cello-playing geek Leonard Hofstadter who married the pretty blonde waitress.
    — Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Definition of geek
Noun
  • The politician started the team as a positive force for school-age kids, to keep kids in school, off drugs and out of gangs through athletic acrobatic practice and performance.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
  • These two summer nutrition programs work in concert to provide a solution to the long-standing challenge of summer hunger for kids.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 July 2026
Definition of kid
Noun
  • This fun, beginner-friendly class teaches the fundamentals of Texas Hold’em, giving you the confidence to join a friendly game.
    — Kris Slugg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2026
  • The app is especially well suited for beginners, busy professionals and anyone who feels overwhelmed by more complex budgeting systems.
    — Catherine Collins, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Definition of beginner
Noun
  • For that reason, pouches are one of our favorite travel hacks, serving as mini go-bags during a flight and an easy way to stay organized on the go.
    — Morgan Ashley Parker, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026
  • While there are plenty of internet hacks, from storing it with an onion to submerging it in water (a trend that went viral and was later cautioned against by the FDA), not all of them are equally effective.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 12 July 2026
Definition of hack
Noun
  • The same barbell that feels nearly impossible for a novice to pick up might be a cinch for an experienced lifter.
    — Jennifer Heimlich, Time, 6 July 2026
  • For novice growers, Barthel likes to emphasize that cannabis is hardy and fast-growing like a weed.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
Definition of novice

Browse Nearby Words

hacked (off)
hacker
hackers
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hacker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hacker. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on hacker

Nglish: Translation of hacker for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hacker

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All