hit 1 of 2

verb

ˈhit How to pronounce hit (audio)
Definition of hitnext
1
as in to knock
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner a good carpenter hits a nail just two or three times to drive it in

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2
as in to bump
to come into usually forceful contact with something when she fell on the ice, she hit hard and badly bruised her elbow

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to achieve
to obtain (as a goal) through effort the rock band hit "the big time" with their third album

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hit

2 of 2

noun

1
as in success
a person or thing that is successful the new babysitter turned out to be a hit with the kids

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument the quarterback can't take too many more hits like that and escape permanent injury

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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 hit
Verb
If the Sabres can find some more success with the man advantage, Thompson shouldn’t have much trouble hitting the 40-goal mark again. — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Japan's 10-year government bond yield recently breached 3%, hitting a high not seen in roughly 30 years. — CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
That is not the way McMurtry tells it, or has told it almost from the day Lonesome Dove became a TV hit. — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2026 Joe Randa had six hits and tied a major league record with six runs, and Alex Berroa hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-high five runs in Kansas City’s 26-5 victory over Detroit in the first game of a doubleheader. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hit
  1. knock
  2. bump
  3. achieve
  4. success
  5. blow
  6. slap
  7. collide
  8. win
Verb
  • That’s because key refineries that produce it have been knocked offline or destroyed, both in Eastern Europe — where the Ukraine-Russia war still rages — and in the Middle East.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 11 Sep. 2026
  • In the opening game of the 2025 season, Clark received a flagrant foul for knocking Reese to the floor as Reese attempted to score.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of knock
Verb
  • Of course, Preece’s move into the field meant bumping out another driver.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Bonhams is bumping its buyer’s premium up to 30 percent from 28 percent for bids of £25,000 ($33,700) or less.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of bump
Verb
  • OpenAI is open about the fact that the numbers are achieved under the best possible conditions and may be slightly different from the models available in the production ChatGPT product that most users can access.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • According to Chris Willatt, owner of Alpine Maids, loading silverware in the dishwasher with the handles pointing down and the usable sides pointing up is the best way to achieve prime cleanliness.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of achieve
Noun
  • Even with their reluctance to run, the Tigers rank last with a 69 percent success rate on steals.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • But, Pace says, those successes also should raise questions among policymakers about whether and why a civil government agency such as NASA needs to operate launch sites in the first place.
    — Elizabeth Howell, Scientific American, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of success
Noun
  • The decline of the wholesale channel overall has been a blow to the industry’s morale and its balance sheets and forced many brands to put a greater emphasis on direct-to-consumer sales.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Strength among women helped Friday’s overall nonfarm payrolls figure blow past expectations for August.
    — Alex Harring,Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • At the weigh-ins and face-off for the IBF heavyweight championship fight, Itauma shoved Hrgovic off the stage and the latter retaliated by slapping the former's face.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • While outlining the details of Clancy's suicide attempt, Reddington slapped a quarter on the table and addressed the prosecutors in what appeared to be a direct challenge to the state.
    — Sumiko Corley, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of slap
Verb
  • In January 2025, an American Airlines regional jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport, killing all 67 people aboard the two aircraft.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The front of the Accord collided with a concrete traffic barrier on the north shoulder of Daryl Carter Parkway at the entrance ramp for eastbound I-4.
    — Felix Rodriguez, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of collide
Verb
  • Vaakanainen, who won gold with Finland at the world championships this summer, fell out of favor under Sullivan and appeared in only 34 games last season.
    — Peter Baugh, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The situation flipped with the Pentagon’s next round of launch procurement in 2025, when SpaceX won the lion’s share.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of win

Phrases Containing hit

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histrionics
hit
hit-and-miss
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Cite this Entry

“Hit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hit. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hit

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hit

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