This meaning is about using your hand or an object to touch something quickly and with force. Imagine a child angrily hitting a table with their fist because they didn’t get what they wanted — the loud bang startling everyone in the room. This is hitting — striking something forcefully. You might hit a nail with a hammer, or someone could hit a tennis ball over the net. Or picture a drummer hitting the cymbals at the climax of a song. The word suggests force and impact. ✏️ “Hit” for physical striking can sound violent — in gentle contexts, use “tap,” “touch,” or “pat” instead.
Vivid example: The boxer hit his opponent with a powerful right hook, sending him stumbling backwards into the ropes while the crowd roared with excitement.

This meaning is about moving objects coming into contact, usually by accident. Imagine driving in heavy rain when suddenly you lose control and your car hits a lamppost with a terrible crunch of metal. This is hitting — crashing or colliding with something. You might hear that a drunk driver hit a parked car, or someone could slip and hit their head on the floor. Or picture a bird accidentally hitting a window and falling to the ground. The word suggests accidental, often damaging contact. ✏️ When a person is struck by a vehicle, we say they were “hit by a car” — this is very common in news reports.
Vivid example: The ship hit an iceberg in the middle of the night, tearing a huge hole in its side and causing panic among the passengers as water began flooding in.

This meaning is about something causing harm, damage, or difficulty to someone or something. Imagine a small business owner watching helplessly as rising prices hit her profits month after month, forcing her to consider closing down. This is being hit — suffering a negative impact. You might say the recession hit the economy hard, or families could be hit by rising energy bills. Or picture a region hit by a devastating earthquake, leaving thousands homeless. The word suggests damage or hardship. ✏️ “Hit hard” is extremely common — it emphasises severe impact: “The news hit him hard.”
Vivid example: The tourism industry was hit badly by the pandemic, with hotels standing empty and thousands of workers losing their jobs almost overnight.

This meaning is about arriving at a particular number, level, or point. Imagine watching the temperature display on a hot summer day as it hits 40 degrees, the hottest day ever recorded in your city. This is hitting — reaching a specific point. You might say oil prices hit a record high, or a company could announce that sales have hit one million. Or picture an athlete training until her speed finally hits her target of running a mile in under six minutes. The word suggests achievement or milestone. ✏️ Often used with extremes: “hit rock bottom” (reach the lowest point), “hit an all-time high/low.”
Vivid example: Her YouTube channel finally hit one million subscribers, and she celebrated by livestreaming with her fans who had supported her from the very beginning.

This meaning is about a sudden moment of understanding or awareness. Imagine standing at the airport when it suddenly hits you that you’ve left your passport at home — a wave of panic washing over you. This is something hitting you — realising it suddenly. You might say “It just hit me that I forgot her birthday,” or the reality of winning the lottery could finally hit someone. Or picture a student when it hits her that she’s been studying the wrong chapter all night. The word suggests sudden, often surprising awareness. ✏️ Usually used with “it” as subject: “It hit me that…” or “It suddenly hit her…”
Vivid example: Standing in his childhood bedroom for the last time, it suddenly hit him that he was really leaving home, and tears began rolling down his cheeks.

This meaning is about something — especially in entertainment — that becomes extremely popular and successful. Imagine a singer releasing a new song that becomes a hit overnight, playing everywhere from radio stations to supermarkets to people’s phones. This is a hit — a massive success. You might describe a movie as the biggest hit of the summer, or a band could have a string of hits in the 1980s. Or picture a Broadway musical becoming such a hit that tickets sell out months in advance. The word suggests widespread popularity. ✏️ “One-hit wonder” describes an artist famous for only one successful song — slightly negative, implying they couldn’t repeat their success.
Vivid example: The TV series became a global hit, with fans in over 50 countries staying up late to watch new episodes the moment they were released.

This meaning is about the physical act of striking something or being struck. Imagine a boxer taking several hard hits to the face before finally going down in the third round. This is a hit — a blow or strike. You might say the building took a direct hit from a bomb, or a player could take a big hit during a football game. Or picture a ship that survived three missile hits before finally sinking. The word refers to the impact itself. ✏️ In baseball, a “hit” specifically means successfully striking the ball and reaching base — “He got three hits in one game.”
Vivid example: The old warehouse took a direct hit during the storm, its roof collapsing under the weight of the fallen tree that had crashed through it.

This meaning is about someone accessing or visiting a website, counted as a unit of traffic. Imagine launching your new blog and excitedly watching the counter as hits start coming in from visitors around the world. This is a hit — one visit or access to your site. You might say your website got thousands of hits last month, or a viral video could generate millions of hits. Or picture a company tracking how many hits their online shop receives each day. The word measures online popularity. ✏️ Also used in search results: “My search returned 2 million hits” — meaning 2 million matching results were found.
Vivid example: After the celebrity mentioned her small business on social media, her website received over 100,000 hits in a single day, crashing the server twice.

This meaning is about a planned killing, usually carried out by professional criminals. Imagine a crime boss ordering a hit on a rival gang leader, sending hired killers to eliminate him. This is a hit — a planned assassination. You might hear in crime movies about someone putting a hit out on somebody, or a hitman could be hired to carry out a hit. Or picture police investigating whether a death was accidental or actually a professional hit. The word suggests organised, deliberate murder. ✏️ “Hitman” is the person who carries out these killings for money. This is crime/mafia slang — you’ll hear it in gangster films and crime dramas.
Vivid example: The detective suspected it wasn’t a random robbery but a professional hit, carefully planned and executed by someone who knew exactly what they were doing.