hit back
phrasal verb
hit back; hitting back; hits back
informal
: to attack or criticize someone after being attacked or criticized by them
Weary of her rival's accusations, the candidate hit back with an aggressive ad campaign.
The team hit back with a touchdown of their own.
—often + atThe Senator hit back at his critics.
Examples of hit back in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With inflation, the cost of imports could play a large role as China hits back at the US with retaliatory tariffs.
—
Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
But Warren hit back with a 12-0 burst, which Walker started with a 3-point play and two free throws on back-to-back possessions.
—Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hit back with a 25% tariff on C$155 billion worth of American goods, although just C$30 billion worth are immediately impacted.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2025
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hits back at Trump.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hit back
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Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
But Warren hit back with a 12-0 burst, which Walker started with a 3-point play and two free throws on back-to-back possessions.
—Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hit back with a 25% tariff on C$155 billion worth of American goods, although just C$30 billion worth are immediately impacted.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2025
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hits back at Trump.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hit back
Cite this Entry
“Hit back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hit%20back. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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