hit

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   To strike a person or thing with a quick, forceful movement of the hand or an object.

   Grammar: Takes an object: he hit the ball.

   Patterns

   • hit someone
   • hit something with something
   • hit someone on the head

   He hit the nail with a hammer.

   Don't hit your little brother.

   She hit the ball over the fence.

2. 2verbtransitive

   To crash into something or come into forceful contact with it.

   Grammar: Takes an object: the car hit a wall.

   Patterns

   • hit something
   • hit against something

   The truck hit a tree on the icy road.

   A stone hit the windshield.

   The wave hit the rocks with a roar.

3. 3verbtransitiveinformal

   To reach a particular level, point or target.

   Grammar: Takes an object such as a number or a goal: hit the target.

   Patterns

   • hit a target
   • hit a record
   • hit a milestone

   Temperatures hit forty degrees on Monday.

   The app has hit a million downloads.

   We hit our sales target a week early.

4. 4verbtransitive

   To affect someone or something badly, often suddenly.

   Grammar: Takes an object: the storm hit the coast.

   Patterns

   • hit someone hard
   • be hit by something

   The recession hit small businesses hard.

   The news hit her like a shock.

   Flooding hit the region last spring.

5. 5nouncountable

   A blow, or a successful piece of work such as a popular song, film or show.

   Grammar: Countable: a hit single, a direct hit.

   Patterns

   • a hit with someone
   • a big hit
   • a direct hit

   The cake was a hit with the children.

   The band's first single was a huge hit.

   The missile scored a direct hit.

Word forms

Common combinations

hit the target

The archer hit the target with her first arrow.

hit a wall

At mile twenty he hit a wall.

hit the road

We hit the road at dawn.

hit it off

The two of them hit it off right away.

hit hard

The drought hit farmers hard.

hit the jackpot

The little cafe hit the jackpot with its new menu.

Synonyms and how they differ

strike

Strike is more formal and often implies a harder or more deliberate blow than hit.

punch

Punch means hitting with a closed fist, which is narrower than hit.

smack

Smack is informal and suggests a sharp slap, often with an open hand.

reach

Reach is the neutral choice when hit means arriving at a level or target.

Opposites

Word family

hitter noun

a person who hits, especially in baseball

hitting noun

the act of striking

hit-and-run adjective

describing an accident where a driver leaves the scene

hit man noun

a paid killer

Commonly confused: hit or hurt?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “hit”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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