How Many Different Ways Can You Use "Hit"?

When you hear "hit," do you think of a verb or noun first?

Like other simple English words, "hit" is useful in many situations. This article will explain its different uses, then we'll introduce some of the idioms and expressions that include it.

As a Noun

A financial success

A "hit" is something that is very successful financially. It's often used to refer to things like movies, songs and performances.

This song was the biggest hit of the year.

The famous film director has made many hits throughout his career.

It's also an adjective meaning "very successful."

The crowd yelled for the band to play their hit song.

The hit musical was made into a Hollywood film.

A popular person

Sometimes even a person can be "a hit" if they're popular at events or gatherings.

Mina's cute little baby was a big hit at the Christmas party.

Visits to a website

If you're discussing websites and internet traffic, hits are visits to a particular place online.

The popular site gets millions of hits every day.

As a Verb

A person pushing a button on an elevator

Literal uses

To strike, to contact something with force

Mariela fell off her bike and hit the ground.

The missile caused a big explosion when it hit the building.

To press (a button, switch)

This is often used casually when talking about turning machines on or off.

Hit the Start button to pause the game.

If you're having problems, hit the reset button and start again.

Figurative uses

To occur

We use "hit" to talk about things like storms and other natural disasters occurring.

The earthquake hit in the morning when many people were still sleeping.

The weather forecast says the storm will hit the area later this evening.

To arrive

Similar to the previous use, "hitting" a place is another way of saying "arriving" at a place. This is a bit informal.

If we maintain this speed, we'll hit the next town in about an hour.

To cause a negative effect

The tourism industry took a big hit from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The rejection was a big hit to his ego.

To reach, to get to

The video I posted online a few hours ago has already hit 100,000 views.

The weather forecast said the temperature might hit -10 degrees tomorrow. Brr!

Idioms with “Hit”

Hit-or-miss

This describes something that is successful only sometimes, not all of the time.

His sports career has been hit-or-miss, with big victories but also several disappointments.

Her songs are really hit-or-miss for me. I love some of them, but the others are just OK.

Hit the ground running

You "hit the ground running" when you do something with intensity or speed from the very beginning.

Mr. Li really hit the ground running; he only joined the company last week, but he's already completed five projects!

Hit the jackpot

This means winning a big reward or gaining something very valuable.

The last time I visited Las Vegas, I hit the jackpot at the casino in my hotel.

I hit the jackpot with my new apartment — it's in a great location, has plenty of space and is very affordable.

Hit the nail on the head

We use this expression when someone says something completely correct or makes an accurate guess. This refers to a hammer hitting the flat part (the "head") of a nail.

Wow, you hit the nail on the head with that comment. How did you know?

Hit the panic button

Panic is a sudden feeling of worry or fear. When you "hit the panic button," you're treating a situation like an emergency.

The company has lost a lot of money this year, but it isn't time to hit the panic button yet.

Hit the sack

"Hit the sack" is a casual way of saying "go to sleep." It's a reference to a sack, or bag, filled with soft material and used like a pillow.

Well, it's been a long day. It's time to hit the sack.

"Hit the hay" has the same meaning.

I'm going to hit the hay early so I'm rested for my meeting tomorrow morning.

Hit the spot

Something "hits the spot" when it satisfies a particular desire or craving.

On a hot summer day, a tall glass of lemonade really hits the spot.

Hit someone up

This is a slang term that means "contact someone." Only use it in informal situations.

Clara said she would hit me up when she finishes work.

Let's hit up Arooj and see if she's free for dinner.

“Hit it!”

A three-member band playing a song in a small, colorful space

Telling someone to "hit it" is telling them to start something. It could refer to a machine (like we mentioned earlier) or things like songs and performances.

Is everyone ready to start?

Yep. Let's hit it!

Hit the skids

Something "hits the skids" when it moves downward. We use this to refer to defeat or a drop in success.

The CEO's bad decisions caused the company to hit the skids very quickly.

Hit it off

When people "hit it off," they form a good relationship quickly after their first meeting.

I was nervous about making friends at my new school, but I hit it off with some classmates on my very first day.

Related article: Tips for Making Friends When Studying Abroad

Hit the road

We "hit the road" when we begin a journey.

I've been planning my big international trip for months, but it's finally time to hit the road next week.

It's also used as an imperative to tell someone to go away very directly.

He told his ex-girlfriend to hit the road and stop calling him.

Wrap-up

Yes, we use hit to mean "attack" or as a noun for popular songs and movies. But it can also be used in many more interesting ways. Book a lesson with an Engoo tutor and give some of these uses a try during your chat!