hit

/hɪt/

/hɪt/

Other forms: hits; hitting

When you hit someone, you smack or strike them — either with an object or with your hand. If you're frustrated about how slowly the traffic is moving, you might hit the dashboard of your car with your fist. Ouch.

A boxer can hit a punching bag, and you can slip and hit your head on a chair. Other kinds of hits include bombs, bullets, or missiles striking targets; assassins or "hitmen" killing someone for pay; and reaching a certain goal, like when you hit a high note or your income hits six figures. You can also colloquially "hit the road," or get going; and "hit up" your friend for five dollars, or ask to borrow it.

Definitions of hit

1. verb

   deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument
   types:

   clap

   strike with the flat of the hand; usually in a friendly way, as in encouragement or greeting

   bang, slam

   strike violently

   lace into, lam into, lay into, pitch into, tear into

   hit violently, as in an attack

   kick

   strike with the foot

   swipe

   strike with a swiping motion

   smite

   inflict a heavy blow on, with the hand, a tool, or a weapon

   hook

   hit with a hook

   swat

   hit swiftly with a violent blow

   bash, bonk, bop, sock, whap, whop

   hit hard

   bean

   hit on the head, especially with a pitched baseball

   pop

   hit or strike

   catch, get

   reach with a blow or hit in a particular spot

   conk

   hit, especially on the head

   cosh

   hit with a cosh, usually on the head

   brain

   hit on the head

   blast, boom, nail, smash

   hit hard

   crack

   hit forcefully; deal a hard blow, making a cracking noise

   sandbag, stun

   hit something or somebody as if with a sandbag

   bat

   strike with, or as if with a baseball bat

   bat

   use a bat

   bat

   have a turn at bat

   cut

   hit (a ball) with a spin so that it turns in the opposite direction

   poke, pound, thump

   hit hard with the hand, fist, or some heavy instrument

   smack, thwack

   deliver a hard blow to

   belt

   deliver a blow to

   plug, punch

   deliver a quick blow to

   slog, slug, swig

   strike heavily, especially with the fist or a bat

   wallop, whack, wham, whop

   hit hard

   biff, pommel, pummel

   strike, usually with the fist

   buff, buffet

   strike, beat repeatedly

   box

   hit with the fist

   bludgeon, club

   strike with a club or a bludgeon

   cudgel, fustigate

   strike with a cudgel

   scuff

   poke at with the foot or toe

   boot

   kick; give a boot to

   switch-hit

   bat right-handed against a left-handed and left-handed against a right-handed pitcher

   type of:

   touch

   make physical contact with, come in contact with
2. verb

   hit with a missile from a weapon
   synonyms: pip, shoot

   strike

   make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target

   blast, shoot

   fire a shot

   pip, shoot

   kill by firing a missile

   types:

   gun down

   strike down or shoot down

   grass

   shoot down, of birds

   kneecap

   shoot in the kneecap, often done by terrorist groups as a warning

   type of:

   injure, wound

   cause injuries or bodily harm to
3. verb

   hit the intended target or goal
   type of:

   bring home the bacon, come through, deliver the goods, succeed, win

   attain success or reach a desired goal
4. verb

   kill intentionally and with premeditation
   synonyms: bump off, dispatch, murder, off, polish off, remove, slay

   types:

   burke

   murder without leaving a trace on the body

   execute

   murder in a planned fashion

   type of:

   kill

   cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
5. verb

   hit against; come into sudden contact with
   “The car hit a tree”

   synonyms: collide with, impinge on, run into, strike

   strike, zonk

   deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

   antonyms:

   miss

   fail to reach

   types:

   stub

   strike (one's toe) accidentally against an object

   ping

   hit with a pinging noise

   bang, spang

   leap, jerk, bang

   rear-end

   collide with the rear end of

   broadside

   collide with the broad side of

   connect

   land on or hit solidly

   spat

   strike with a sound like that of falling rain

   thud

   strike with a dull sound

   bottom

   strike the ground, as with a ship's bottom

   bottom out

   hit the ground

   bump, knock

   knock against with force or violence

   bump into, butt against, jar against, knock against, run into

   collide violently with an obstacle

   clash, collide

   crash together with violent impact

   glance

   hit at an angle

   smash

   collide or strike violently and suddenly

   shock

   collide violently

   crash, ram

   undergo damage or destruction on impact

   type of:

   touch

   make physical contact with, come in contact with
6. verb

   cause to move by striking
   “hit a ball”

   types:

   play

   shoot or hit in a particular manner

   foul

   hit a foul ball

   cannon

   make a cannon

   clap

   strike together so as to produce a sharp percussive noise

   ground out

   make an out by hitting the ball on the ground

   toe

   drive (a golf ball) with the toe of the club

   shank

   hit (a golf ball) with the heel of a club, causing the ball to veer in the wrong direction

   pitch

   hit (a golf ball) in a high arc with a backspin

   fly

   hit a fly

   hike, snap

   put in play with a snap

   whang

   propel or hit with force

   undercut

   strike (the ball) in golf, tennis, or hockey obliquely downward so as to give a backspin or elevation to the shot

   putt

   strike (a golf ball) lightly, with a putter

   heel

   strike with the heel of the club

   toe

   hit (a golf ball) with the toe of the club

   bunker

   hit a golf ball into a bunker

   bounce

   hit something so that it bounces

   backhand

   hit a tennis ball backhand

   pop

   hit a pop-fly

   follow through

   carry a stroke to natural completion after hitting or releasing a ball

   shell

   hit the pitches of hard and regularly

   ground

   hit onto the ground

   ground

   hit a groundball

   top

   strike (the top part of a ball in golf, baseball, or pool) giving it a forward spin

   pull

   hit in the direction that the player is facing when carrying through the swing

   kill

   hit with great force

   kill

   hit with so much force as to make a return impossible, in racket games

   connect

   hit or play a ball successfully

   drive

   hit very hard, as by swinging a bat horizontally

   drive

   strike with a driver, as in teeing off

   hole, hole out

   hit the ball into the hole

   bunt, drag a bunt

   hit a ball in such a way so as to make it go a short distance

   snick

   hit a glancing blow with the edge of the bat

   racket

   hit (a ball) with a racket

   carry, dribble

   propel, "Carry the ball"

   slice

   hit a ball and put a spin on it so that it travels in a different direction

   hook

   hit a ball and put a spin on it so that it travels to the left

   single

   hit a single

   double

   hit a two-base hit

   triple

   hit a three-base hit

   smash

   hit (a tennis ball) in a powerful overhead stroke

   shoot

   throw or propel in a specific direction or towards a specific objective

   volley

   hit before it touches the ground

   croquet

   drive away by hitting with one's ball, "croquet the opponent's ball"

   loft

   kick or strike high in the air

   hook

   secure with the foot

   bounce out

   bounce a ball so that it becomes an out

   foul out

   baseball: hit a ball such that it is caught from an out in foul territory

   dunk

   make a dunk shot, in basketball

   break

   make the opening shot that scatters the balls

   chip

   play a chip shot

   carom

   make a carom

   birdie

   shoot in one stroke under par

   double birdie, eagle

   shoot two strokes under par

   double bogey

   to shoot two strokes over par

   bogey

   to shoot in one stroke over par

   knuckle

   shoot a marble while keeping one's knuckles on the ground

   type of:

   impel, propel

   cause to move forward with force
7. verb

   make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target
   synonyms: strike

   pip, shoot

   hit with a missile from a weapon

   strike

   affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely

   types:

   slice

   hit a ball so that it causes a backspin

   chop

   hit sharply

   stroke

   strike a ball with a smooth blow

   retaliate, strike back

   make a counterattack and return like for like, especially evil for evil

   type of:

   assail, attack

   launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with
8. verb

   drive something violently into a location
   “he hit his fist on the table”

   synonyms: strike

   types:

   smash

   hit violently

   type of:

   displace, move

   cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense
9. verb

   affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely
   “We were hit by really bad weather”

   synonyms: strike

   strike

   make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target

   type of:

   affect, bear on, bear upon, impact, touch, touch on

   have an effect upon
10. noun

    the act of contacting one thing with another
    “after three misses she finally got a hit”

    synonyms: hitting, striking

    types:

    contusion

    the action of bruising

    crash, smash

    the act of colliding with something

    bunt

    (baseball) the act of hitting a baseball lightly without swinging the bat

    fly, fly ball

    (baseball) a hit that flies up in the air

    ground ball, groundball, grounder, hopper

    (baseball) a hit that travels along the ground

    header

    (soccer) the act of hitting the ball with your head

    scorcher, screamer

    a very hard hit ball

    plunk, plunker

    (baseball) hitting a baseball so that it drops suddenly

    impaction, impingement

    a sharp collision produced by striking or dashing against something

    blast

    a very long fly ball

    pop fly, pop-fly, pop-up

    a short high fly ball

    chop, chopper

    a grounder that bounces high in the air

    roller

    a grounder that rolls along the infield

    line drive, liner

    (baseball) a hit that flies straight out from the batter

    flare

    (baseball) a fly ball hit a short distance into the outfield

    Texas leaguer

    (baseball) a fly ball that falls between and infielder and an outfielder

    type of:

    touch, touching

    the act of putting two things together with no space between them
11. noun

    (physics) a brief event in which two or more bodies come together
    synonyms: collision

    type of:

    contact, impinging, striking

    the physical coming together of two or more things
12. noun

    (baseball) a successful stroke in an athletic contest (especially in baseball)
    “he came all the way around on Williams' hit”

    types:

    base hit, safety

    (baseball) the successful act of striking a baseball in such a way that the batter reaches base safely

    home run, homer

    (baseball) a base hit on which the batter scores a run

    bingle, single

    a base hit on which the batter stops safely at first base

    double, two-bagger, two-base hit, two-baser

    a base hit on which the batter stops safely at second base

    three-bagger, three-base hit, triple

    a base hit at which the batter stops safely at third base

    type of:

    effort, exploit, feat

    a notable achievement
13. noun

    a murder carried out by an underworld syndicate
    “it has all the earmarks of a Mafia hit”

    type of:

    execution, murder, slaying

    unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by a human being
14. verb

    reach a destination, either real or abstract
    “We hit Detroit by noon”

    synonyms: arrive at, attain, gain, make, reach

    make

    reach in time

    types:

    catch up

    reach the point where one should be after a delay

    scale, surmount

    reach the highest point of

    access, get at

    reach or gain access to

    bottom out

    reach the low point

    peak, top out

    to reach the highest point; attain maximum intensity, activity

    breast, summit

    reach the summit (of a mountain)

    top

    reach or ascend the top of

    make

    reach in time

    find

    succeed in reaching; arrive at

    culminate

    reach the highest altitude or the meridian, of a celestial body

    come through, get through

    succeed in reaching a real or abstract destination after overcoming problems

    ground, run aground

    hit or reach the ground

    come back

    even the score, in sports

    crest

    reach a high point
15. verb

    reach a point in time, or a certain state or level
    “The thermometer hit 100 degrees”

    synonyms: attain, reach

    types:

    max out

    reach a maximum

    break even

    attain a level at which there is neither gain nor loss, as in business, gambling, or a competitive sport

    type of:

    arrive, come, get

    reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
16. noun

    a conspicuous success
    “that song was his first hit and marked the beginning of his career”

    synonyms: bang, smash, smasher, strike

    types:

    blockbuster, megahit, smash hit

    an unusually successful hit with widespread popularity and huge sales (especially a movie or play or recording or novel)

    sleeper

    an unexpected hit

    type of:

    success

    an attainment that is successful
17. verb

    encounter by chance
    synonyms: stumble

    type of:

    come by, come into

    obtain, especially accidentally
18. verb

    cause to experience suddenly
    “An interesting idea hit her”

    synonyms: come to, strike

    affect, impress, move, strike

    have an emotional or cognitive impact upon
19. noun

    a connection made via the internet to another website
    “WordNet gets many hits from users worldwide”

    type of:

    connection, connexion, joining

    the act of bringing two things into contact (especially for communication)
20. verb

    gain points in a game
    “He hit a home run”

    “He hit .300 in the past season”

    synonyms: rack up, score, tally

    types:

    par

    make a score (on a hole) equal to par

    shoot

    score

    convert

    score (a spare)

    convert

    complete successfully

    convert

    score an extra point or points after touchdown by kicking the ball through the uprights or advancing the ball into the end zone

    homer

    hit a home run

    kick

    make a goal

    eagle

    shoot in two strokes under par

    hole up

    score a hole in one

    ace

    score an ace against

    walk

    obtain a base on balls

    equalise, equalize, get even

    compensate; make the score equal

    get, have, make

    achieve a point or goal

    place-kick

    score (a goal) by making a place kick

    type of:

    advance, gain, gain ground, get ahead, make headway, pull ahead, win

    obtain advantages, such as points, etc.
21. verb

    produce by manipulating keys or strings of musical instruments, also metaphorically
    synonyms: strike

    type of:

    touch

    make physical contact with, come in contact with
22. verb

    consume to excess
    type of:

    consume, have, ingest, take, take in

    serve oneself to, or consume regularly
23. verb

    pay unsolicited and usually unwanted sexual attention to
    type of:

    approach

    make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion
24. noun

    a dose of a narcotic drug
    type of:

    dosage, dose

    a measured portion of medicine taken at any one time