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

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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 While Hollywood often depicts hackers remotely hijacking an entire vehicle, experts say modern attacks are more likely to target the broader ecosystem surrounding autonomous cars. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026 The havoc a hacker wreaks using their attack could be catastrophic. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 13 Aug. 2026 When victims connect to the system, hackers can then use tools to intercept information, steal data or otherwise exploit the device. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026 When the victim connects to the internet using the system, the hacker can then use tools to read their data. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 11 Aug. 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
  • Whaley is trying to become the first English amateur to win since Matt Fitzpatrick at Brookline in 2013.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Contrary to perceptions, nonprofit workers aren’t well-meaning amateurs waiting for tech to save the day, but savvy operators with deep community knowledge and relationships that can’t simply be replicated.
    — Max Simkoff, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of amateur
Noun
  • Fortunately, Green’s film exists — and was not thrown into a little black hole by a bunch of accountants, never to be seen again — and can surely help cure any of the pain its backstory still inflicts on movie fans and Tunes geeks.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The 1% who are the Uber early geek adopters can go in the user settings and switch it back to sats and view it in sats.
    — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of geek
Noun
  • Writer Brad Bird confirmed there will not be a time jump in the third movie, keeping the Parr kids Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack at their original ages.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Families can also participate in daily arts and crafts sessions, with materials provided on request and staff on hand to help kids create their own souvenirs.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of kid
Noun
  • For absolute beginners, Quynh advises trying liquid concealer first.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The workshop offers instruction for various levels, including beginner and intermediate.
    — Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of beginner
Noun
  • Wolff does not describe it as a chatbot, a productivity hack, or a clever add-on.
    — Ethan M. Stone, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
  • When activists and media hacks attack your locker room, a head coach cannot just sit on the fence.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of hack
Noun
  • The novice senator is beginning her sixth week on the job, having been appointed to fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's seat two days after his sudden death on July 11.
    — Sophia Vlahakis, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • An aurora photographer who spoke to National Geographic offered tips for novices trying to take photos of the phenomenon, including would-be photographers who only have access to a smartphone camera.
    — Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of novice

Browse Nearby Words

hacked (off)
hacker
hackers
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Cite this Entry

“Hacker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hacker. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hacker

Nglish: Translation of hacker for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hacker

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