1
as in knocks
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in bumps
to come into usually forceful contact with something
when she fell on the ice, she hit hard and badly bruised her elbow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in wins
to obtain (as a goal) through effort
the rock band hit "the big time" with their third album
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in successes
a person or thing that is successful
the new babysitter turned out to be a hit with the kids
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blows
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of hits
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
The deadline that will accompany the NHL’s Olympic roster freeze, which hits at noon Pacific Time on Wednesday, shouldn’t be viewed as a prequel for the actual trade deadline.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The Levi’s style hits right at the hips, per one 5-foot-2 reviewer, and comes with a simple, zip-up design to avoid overwhelming your figure.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
When tragedy hits the lives of the rich and famous, the American public can't help but tune in.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
The pay package for Musk, approved by shareholders in November, consists of 12 tranches of shares to be granted if Tesla hits certain milestones, including market cap gains and operational achievements, over the next decade.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
The film hits Apple TV globally on April 10.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
Alongside the likes of Slow Horses and Bad Sisters, Criminal Record has been one of Apple TV’s biggest UK hits.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026
This hits home for us in Massachusetts, and residents should be paying attention.
—Jennifer Nassour, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026
Anecdotally, there has been an increase because more games, more hits, more injuries.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
Most crucially, the front office’s first-round picks have been hits.
—Dianna Russini, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Three Dog Night — Negron, Cory Wells and Danny Hutton — produced nearly two dozen top 40 hits in the early 1970s.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
With contact comes hits, and with hits comes batting average.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026
Two further hallmarks of your series are their combo of top creative talent, with hits under their belts as novelists or directors, and IP, be that a historical event or a bestseller.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
The Commodores, the group which Richie left in 1982 but which still performs many of the hits Richie wrote for them, also visit the state regularly, including Foxwoods in 2021 and 2023.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026
Lisa is in first place with five hits, while Rosé and Jennie are matched with one another with three apiece.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
For Rios, the celebration hits home — quite literally — as a Bay Area native.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
The deadline that will accompany the NHL’s Olympic roster freeze, which hits at noon Pacific Time on Wednesday, shouldn’t be viewed as a prequel for the actual trade deadline.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The Levi’s style hits right at the hips, per one 5-foot-2 reviewer, and comes with a simple, zip-up design to avoid overwhelming your figure.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
When tragedy hits the lives of the rich and famous, the American public can't help but tune in.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
The pay package for Musk, approved by shareholders in November, consists of 12 tranches of shares to be granted if Tesla hits certain milestones, including market cap gains and operational achievements, over the next decade.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
The film hits Apple TV globally on April 10.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
Alongside the likes of Slow Horses and Bad Sisters, Criminal Record has been one of Apple TV’s biggest UK hits.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026
This hits home for us in Massachusetts, and residents should be paying attention.
—Jennifer Nassour, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
The Stars played Winnipeg physically from the start, with Adam Erne leading Dallas with five hits in the first period alone.
—Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026
Anecdotally, there has been an increase because more games, more hits, more injuries.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
Most crucially, the front office’s first-round picks have been hits.
—Dianna Russini, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Three Dog Night — Negron, Cory Wells and Danny Hutton — produced nearly two dozen top 40 hits in the early 1970s.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
With contact comes hits, and with hits comes batting average.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026
Two further hallmarks of your series are their combo of top creative talent, with hits under their belts as novelists or directors, and IP, be that a historical event or a bestseller.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
The Commodores, the group which Richie left in 1982 but which still performs many of the hits Richie wrote for them, also visit the state regularly, including Foxwoods in 2021 and 2023.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026
Lisa is in first place with five hits, while Rosé and Jennie are matched with one another with three apiece.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hits
Verb
-
Julio Cesar Chavez suffers his first loss in 91 fights when Frankie Randall knocks him down in the 11th round and wins the WBC super lightweight championship on a split decision.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
-
And then some thug comes along and knocks him over.—
Adrienne LaFrance,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX will start at $99,995, excluding a mandatory $2,595 destination fee that bumps the price to $102,590.—
Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
1 Jan. 2026
-
A day when the Stanley Cup years finally ride the synaptic road back to long-term memory and the brain finally bumps the past for the present.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The gospel singer has amassed 20 Grammy wins throughout his career, having won his first in 1996 for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for his album Whatcha Lookin' 4.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
-
At the end of January, the person with the greatest distance wins the free food.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Historians still debate its successes and failures.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Still, Holland doesn’t dwell on the past – or past successes – too much.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The blows are often connected to the COVID-19 pandemic and the dual labor strikes that hit Hollywood.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The restaurant weathered the blows of COVID-19, but the relationship between Valente and his partners was strained.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Boston Blue slaps a fresh coat of paint on Blue Bloods, the CBS procedural that ended its 14-season run last year.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Dec. 2025
-
Speaking with Cocoa Butter about her most memorable roles, Calloway revealed that the moment Ike slaps Jackie came across so emotional and raw because the stunt went wrong.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Weather models continue to signal a potentially impactful storm, with freezing rain expected to develop as cold arctic air collides with moisture moving in from the Gulf.—
Troy Bridges,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
However, that pressure collides with the reality that utilities compete for shareholders in financial markets, where investors expect returns.—
Will Taylor,
Hartford Courant,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, the ultra-high and extreme energy ones, at the absolute maximum, possess millions of times the energy that the Large Hadron Collider achieves at its maximum.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Rhetorical pressure forcing dovish pivots without personnel change achieves the same outcome while preserving surface-level institutional continuity.—
Güney Yıldız,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hits. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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