hit back

phrasal-verb
UK: /ˌhɪt ˈbæk/
US: /ˌhɪt ˈbæk/

  1. To defend yourself when someone attacks you, either physically or with words.

    1. I had to hit back after he insulted me.
    2. When the other kids started making fun of him, he didn't know how to hit back, so he just cried.

  2. To retaliate or respond to an attack or criticism with a similar action.

    1. The company decided to hit back at its critics with a public statement.
    2. After their website was hacked, they immediately planned to hit back by targeting the attacker's servers.

Synonyms

retaliate repay defend respond revenge counterattack fight back
hit back noun

  1. A quick and forceful response or retaliation.

    1. His hit back was immediate and sharp.
    2. The team's hit back after conceding a goal was impressive, showing their determination to win.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "hit back" in English means: To defend yourself when someone attacks you, either physically or with words., To retaliate or respond to an attack or criticism with a similar action..

The phonetic transcription of "hit back" is /ˌhɪt ˈbæk/ in British English and /ˌhɪt ˈbæk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "hit back": retaliate, repay, defend, respond, revenge, counterattack, fight back.

Example usage of "hit back": "I had to hit back after he insulted me.". More examples on the page.