Meaning & use
hacked
Last updated
“hacked” is a form of “hack”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivenot comparablecomputing
Having had a computer system, account, or device broken into without permission.
Grammar: Used after a linking verb: The site was hacked.
Patterns
- be hacked
- get hacked
My email account was hacked last week.
The company's website got hacked and customer data was stolen.
If your password is weak, you could be hacked.
verbtransitive or intransitivecomputing
Past tense and past participle of hack; entered a computer system illegally.
Grammar: Takes an object or stands alone: They hacked the network. / They hacked into it.
Patterns
- hack into something
- hack something
Someone hacked into the bank's computer system.
He hacked the company's database to prove it was insecure.
They hacked the website and left a message.
adjectivenot comparableinformal
Having a rough, dry cough, often with a lot of effort.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: a hacked cough / He was hacked.
Patterns
- hacked cough
He had a nasty hacked cough all winter.
The cold left her feeling hacked and tired.
Word forms
| base form | hack |
|---|---|
| third person singular | hacks |
| past tense | hacked |
| past participle | hacked |
| -ing form | hacking |
Common combinations
- get hacked
- Many small businesses get hacked every year.
- be hacked into
- The system was hacked into by an unknown group.
- hacked account
- She reported her hacked account to the support team.
Synonyms and how they differ
- breached
- More formal and often used for security failures in organizations; hacked is more general and can refer to any illegal access.
- compromised
- Suggests that security was weakened or exposed; hacked focuses on the act of breaking in.
Word family
- hacker noun
- A person who breaks into computer systems.
- hacking noun
- The activity of breaking into computer systems.
Commonly confused: hacked or hack?
hacked vs hack
The base form, meaning to cut roughly or to break into computers; hacked is the past form or adjective.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
After 'was' we need the past participle 'hacked' for a passive sentence. 'Hack' is the base form, 'hacking' is the -ing form, and 'hacks' is the third person singular, so none of them fit here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hacked”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.