hit

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "hit" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used as a verb or a noun. Verb Example: He hit the ball out of the park. Noun Example: That was a powerful hit.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

My jaw hit the floor.

The New York Times - Science

Low-income families are the ones that would be hardest hit by such a cost increase.

The Economist

We hit it off immediately.

The New York Times - Magazine

That is a hefty hit on people living on very low incomes.

The Guardian - Opinion

She said: "His status as honorary president does not give him the right to hijack the Front National with vulgar provocations seemingly designed to damage me, but that unfortunately hit the whole movement".

The Guardian

The next series of another homegrown drama hit, the BBC's Torchwood, is being co-produced with US cable channel Starz – adding American stars including Bill Pullman – while Episodes is itself a co-production between Showtime and the corporation.

The Guardian

In the early 2000s, pharmaceutical companies were high on activists' hit lists, prompted by Big Pharma's ill-advised attempt to sue the South African government for patent infringement on HIV drugs; an attempt to deal with the country's epidemic by allowing cheaper, generic copies to be sold.

The Guardian

"There are lots of ways to hit a penalty: with power, off the post, with a chip," wrote Alessandro Vocalelli.

The Guardian - Sport

Shillinglaw said the task of reinventing the show, which is watched by 6 million viewers on BBC2 and is a global hit generating £50m a year for the BBC, was "a challenge but it's genuinely creatively exciting".

The Guardian

The 50-year-old and his partner Veronica Ojeda were taken to hospital after the car he was driving reportedly hit a bus, hours before Argentina's Copa América win against Costa Rica.

The Guardian - Sport

How when his glider hit the ground in occupied France at 16 minutes past midnight on 6 June, shaking up the men inside, everything went dark.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Vary your vocabulary by using synonyms of "hit" to make your writing more engaging.

Common error

Avoid using "hit" without considering its various interpretations. It can refer to physical contact, success, or even drug use. Be specific to prevent miscommunication.

Linguistic Context

The word "hit" functions primarily as a verb indicating a physical action of striking or impacting something. It can also function as a noun, referring to an instance of striking, a success, or even a dose of drugs. As Ludwig AI confirms, "hit" is correct and usable, serving multiple grammatical roles in sentences. Examples from Ludwig illustrate its usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Sport

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hit" is a versatile word functioning as both a verb and a noun, commonly used to describe physical impact, success, or effect. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across various contexts. As evidenced by Ludwig's examples, it appears frequently in News & Media and Sport contexts, indicating a neutral register and broad applicability. When writing with "hit", it's essential to consider its multiple meanings to prevent ambiguity and choose the most appropriate synonym based on the intended message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

land a blow

Replaces single action with longer phrase that put emphasis on the result of the action.

strike

Emphasizes a forceful impact or action, similar to "hit" but often implies a more deliberate act.

collide with

Specifically indicates an instance of crashing with something, different from "hit" which can also mean other things than just crashing.

impact

Focuses on the effect or consequence of a collision or event, rather than the act of striking itself.

make contact with

Replaces single action with longer phrase to denote instances of touching/crashing with something.

affect

Highlights the influence or consequence on something or someone, differing from the physical action of "hit".

have an effect on

Replaces simple action with longer phrase that focuses on how something has changed after the "hit".

reach

Suggests achieving a goal or destination, unlike the collision implied by "hit".

gain access to

Replaces single action with longer phrase focusing on how the action gave access to something.

attain

Implies achieving something through effort, rather than a sudden impact.

FAQs

How can I use "hit" in a sentence?

The word "hit" can be used as a verb to describe striking something, such as "He "hit the ball"". It can also be used as a noun, referring to a successful song or movie, like "That song was a big "hit song"".

What are some alternatives to the word "hit"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "strike", "impact", or "reach" instead of "hit".

Is it correct to say "the news hit hard"?

Yes, it's correct. The phrase "hit hard" is an idiom that means to affect someone or something negatively or severely. For example, "The economic crisis hit hard the small businesses".

What's the difference between "hit" and "strike"?

"Hit" generally implies a sudden and forceful impact, whereas "strike" can suggest a more deliberate or forceful action. "Strike" often carries a stronger connotation of aggression or force.