Skip to main content
to hack

to hack

19 8.0
To be able to deal with a difficult situation
  • verb
  • /hæk/
  • Informal
translation icon : arreglárselas
  • During the workshop, we learned strategies to hack stressful moments and cope better.
  • can't hack it anymore
  • hack your way through
  • think you can hack it

And this is how you hack life and live a life well lived.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • I could hack it, but it would take too long.

  • My point regarding IQ is that dumb kids can't hack med school, average kids can't really hack astrophysics, and so on.

    Blog text (8)
  • Like my ability to hack culture is super good.

  • And this is how you hack life and live a life well lived.

  • All very good players who just cannot hack it in pressure matches.

    Blog text (17)
  • How can we talk to people right now during this time to really hack that mindset?

  • So hack your life so you don't end up screwing yourself up.

  • So, we all get old, we can't hack it any more and that's it?

  • If you understand how luck works, you'll discover what I've discovered that you can hack luck.

  • He was determined to hack the exam despite the difficult questions.

Synonyms

to hack it
vsto hack
  • Informal
12 8.0

Succeed in a difficult situation

is the same meaning but uses a shorter single word form

Antonyms

466 3.2

A hard effort to do or finish something difficult

Phrasal Verbs

to hack it
  • Informal
12 8.0

Succeed in a difficult situation

to hack on
  • Jargon
1 8.2

To fix or change a computer program quickly until it works

Compounds

political hack
  • Offensive
3 8.6

A politician who works for their party or friends to benefit themselves

hack writer
  • Offensive
1 7.5

A writer who makes low quality books or articles only for money

A smart, simple trick that solves a problem quickly

literary hack
  • Offensive
8.5

A writer who writes many low-quality books mostly for money

hack-driver
  • Archaic
9.2

A person who drives a taxi for a living

hack driver
  • Archaic
7.4

A person who takes people somewhere in a taxi for money

3.6

A hand saw with a thin blade and many small teeth for cutting metal and other hard materials

How Capable

to thrive
241 3.2
to excel
58 3.7
to hack
  • Informal
19 8.0
to manage
239 2.3
to cope
272 2.9

Surface Forms

hack infinitive
hacked past
hacked past participle
hacking present participle
hacks third person singular

Etymology

A helpful way to remember the informal phrase 'can't hack it' is to think of 'hacking' as doing rough, practical work — if you can 'hack it' you can manage or cope with a hard situation.