HITTING Synonyms: 180 Similar and Opposite Words

hitting

verb

present participle of hit

as in knocking

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

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as in bumping

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

as in achieving

to obtain (as a goal) through effort the rock band hit "the big time" with their third album

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of hitting Opponents worry that the changes would mean less money getting invested in rural housing, precisely when housing affordability issues are hitting those areas the hardest. — Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026 The look is solid, smart, elegant, hitting a summer sweet spot that means guests come back again and again. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026 In his second straight victory since being disqualified at the China Open for hitting a spectator in the eye with a ball, Medvedev converted his fourth match point when his Czech opponent sent a backhand volley wide. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 Garrett Mitchell walked, rookie Cooper Pratt laid down a sacrifice bunt and light-hitting Luis Lara banged the next pitch up the middle to score Mitchell from second for the 2-1 lead. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 The Marlins moved quickly to fill their open hitting coach job on Tuesday, hiring former Yankees hitting coach Dillon Lawson to replace Pedro Guerrero, who was dismissed late last month after two years on the job. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026 All other sectors were positive, including energy, with the Energy SPDR ETF hitting a new intraday all-time high. — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026 Kansas City police reported the truck driver failed to stop at a stop sign at 79th Terrace and Main Street before hitting the bicyclist. — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026 The national Democratic effort to defeat Collins kept going; now the party is spending millions on an ad hitting her for a ProPublica story about her links to a corrupt defense contractor. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hitting

Verb

The other student strikes one more blow from behind, knocking Xavier to the ground.

— Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
The murder prompted an extensive investigation, with police interviewing more than 1,300 people and knocking on hundreds of doors.

— Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of knocking

Verb

The Goyard Saint Louis entered the top 10 ranking at number seven, bumping the Celine Ava off the list entirely, according to the report.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
There can be two women who are strong and dynamic, who are, at points, up against each other or bumping heads, but have the same mission and goal.

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of bumping

Verb

The problem, Snegovaya said, is that achieving military autonomy for Europe and Ukraine is extremely difficult in the short term, and Europe has been slow to develop the necessary capabilities.

— Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
And, even before the pandemic, about half of the state’s students were not achieving the state’s learning goals.

— Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of achieving

Verb

But Varma and Shivam Dube (27) upped the ante in the final three overs by smacking 57 runs against Sufyan Moqim, Ayub and Ahmed Daniyal.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Carrington was ejected from the game in the first half after smacking Cunningham across the face during Cunningham's layup attempt.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of smacking

Verb

Modeling work suggests the duo will keep orbiting our star for millions of years before ultimately slamming into either Earth or Venus.

— Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
The impact caused the Camry to spin around, slamming into the back of a southbound 2021 Toyota RAV4.

— Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of slamming

Verb

The bread-winning Global Banking & Markets division delivered strong results, which was very much behind the relatively positive reaction in the stock.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
The decision backfired, as Rams kicker Harrison Mevis’s 48-yard game-winning field goal attempt was blocked by defensive end Greg Rousseau — much to the relief of Cook.

— Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of winning

Verb

Less than three months after that deal was announced in January 2022, Smith became an industry pariah after slapping Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars, earning a 10-year ban from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
Hochman said the nannies were caught on video spanking, slapping or hitting the children.

— News Editor, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of slapping

Verb

Byrne cited incidents involving horses collapsing in city streets and colliding with vehicles, and said more than 70% of New Yorkers support a ban, a figure Fox News Digital has not independently verified.

— Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Record spending The lack of a quorum is colliding with the most expensive election on record.

— Gabe Kaminsky, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026