1 B1 neutral
To swing one's fist or a weapon and attempt to strike someone or something.
"Cornered by the mugger, she hit out wildly and managed to escape."
inseparable
hit out
B2 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To attack someone physically or to criticize someone forcefully and publicly.
In plain English
To punch or swing at someone, or to say very angry things against someone in public.
What does "hit out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To criticize someone or something forcefully and publicly, often in anger.
"The director hit out at the studio for cutting funding to independent films."
“
Adele hits out at Grammys for snubbing her album.
— The Guardian, headline (2012)
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To swing a fist outward — the physical sense is transparent; the 'criticize' sense is idiomatic.
Actually means
To punch or swing at someone, or to say very angry things against someone in public.
Usage tip
Very common in British journalism: 'Minister hits out at critics.' The physical sense is more literal; the verbal/critical sense is dominant in media language. Often followed by 'at' when a target is specified.
Words that pair with "hit out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
critics government media decision policy rivals
How to conjugate "hit out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hit out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hits out
he/she/it
Past simple
hit out
yesterday
Past participle
hit out
have + pp
-ing form
hitting out
continuous
Hear "hit out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "hit out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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