hit-and-run

1 of 3

adjective

1
: being or relating to a hit-and-run in baseball
2
: being or involving a motor-vehicle driver who does not stop after being involved in an accident
3
: involving or intended for quick specific action or results
a hit-and-run raid

hit-and-run

2 of 3

noun

: a baseball play calling for a runner on first to begin running as a pitch is delivered and for the batter to attempt to hit the pitch

hit-and-run

3 of 3

verb

hit-and-ran; hitting-and-running; hit-and-runs

intransitive verb

: to execute a hit-and-run play in baseball

Examples of hit-and-run in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Police are searching for the driver involved in the fatal hit-and-run of a homeless man early Saturday near downtown Los Angeles, authorities said. Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024 Mendez now faces multiple charges in connection to the hit-and-run, including reckless homicide, leaving the scene of an accident, criminal possession of a forged instrument second degree and possession of an openalcohol container. Aaron Valdez, The Enquirer, 22 Mar. 2024 No one witnessed the hit-and-run collision, but drivers spotted the victim lying in the road around 11:35 p.m. at the intersection of state Route 76 and Singh Way. Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2024 The internal affairs report ultimately described the hit-and-run as simply a traffic collision, and made no mention of Chung dating a subordinate officer who had been riding in the OPD vehicle with him. Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 Court records show the hit-and-run and reckless homicide charges, which were filed Sunday, are related to the death of 55-year-old Janice Howard. Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2024 The car was spotted by an officer along Katella Avenue about 10 minutes after the hit-and-run and there was a brief pursuit, McMullin said. Hunter Lee, Orange County Register, 12 Mar. 2024 On this Friday night, Feb. 23, what’s more important is a Ukrainian woman’s search for her husband, a jury’s verdict in a hit-and-run, and in sports, a profile of UCLA’s mercurial basketball coach, as well as the obituaries, comics and horoscopes. Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Lugo died two hours after the clock struck midnight Jan. 1 in a south Phoenix hit-and-run crash. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 10 Mar. 2024
Verb
Daniels also pleaded guilty to destruction of property, hit-and-run and reckless driving charges connected to the March 22, 2021, crash at the Verizon store in the Potomac Yard neighborhood. Salvador Rizzo, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2023 Although it was initially dubbed a hit-and-run, the evidence never sat well with state investigators or the Smith family. Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 24 Mar. 2023 His 2015 death was initially deemed a hit-and-run, but Sandy Smith never believed that was the case. Christina Maxouris, CNN, 23 Mar. 2023 An 11-year-old girl was killed early Wednesday in a wrong-way crash involving a hit-and-run driver on the 60 Freeway near the City of Industry, according to authorities. Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2023 Smith’s mother, Sandy, has long been the most vocal critic of the hit-and-run finding. John Monk, al, 22 Mar. 2023 Smith was found dead on a Hampton County road in July 2015, his death initially ruled the result of blunt force trauma from a hit-and-run accident. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2023 Smith's death was initially ruled a hit-and-run, but after the exhumation, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) said there were no indications that is how his death could have occurred. Conrad Hoyt, Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2023 His death was ruled a hit-and-run after an initial investigation, which his family has criticized. Michael M. Dewitt, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hit-and-run.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1904, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hit-and-run was in 1899

Dictionary Entries Near hit-and-run

Cite this Entry

“Hit-and-run.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hit-and-run. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hit-and-run

adjective
-ˈrən
1
: being or involving a motor-vehicle driver who does not stop after having an accident
2
: involving or intended for quick action or results

Legal Definition

hit-and-run

adjective
1
: having left the scene of a motor vehicle accident without stopping to fulfill the duties imposed by law (as rendering aid or giving identification)
a hit-and-run driver
2
: involving or concerning a hit-and-run driver
a hit-and-run accident
hit-and-run statutes

More from Merriam-Webster on hit-and-run

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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