💥 To strike 💥 Striking action

to hitting

3 1.0

To strike something with force, often with a hand or object

verb
/ˈhɪtɪŋ/

: golpear

SUDDENLY I WAS FREEZING, AND ROCKS WERE HITTING AROUND ME.

So when we play golf, when I hit my driver, it goes Dink.

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Examples

That's the sound of rain hitting someone or something.

Late Night with Seth Meyers
YEAH, I'M HITTING THE GYM.

Employee of the Month (2006)
YOU'RE HITTING A PRESSURE POINT NOW.

Mad City (1997)
SHE´S HITTING EVERY LANE.

Happy (2012)
I accidentally hit my hand against the wall while walking by.
She was so excited that she couldn't help hitting the table in delight.
The child kept hitting the ball with his bat during practice.

Synonyms

to hit

vsto hitting

∞ 1.0

To strike someone or something with force

is the noun or gerund form naming the same action

to beat

vsto hitting

NSFW

∞ 1.2

To hit something or someone again and again, making a rhythm

is the simple act of forceful contact without repetition or rhythm

to knock

vsto hitting

937 1.0

To hit something by accident with a sudden movement

is the deliberate or general act of forceful contact, not accidental

to strike

vsto hitting

553 2.4

To hit someone or something with force

is the general act of forceful contact usually by hand or object

to slap

vsto hitting

492 1.0

Hit quickly with the flat part of the hand

is broader, covering many kinds of forceful contact beyond open hand hits

to punch

vsto hitting

455 1.4

To hit someone or something quickly with a closed fist

is the same forceful contact idea but not limited to a fist

to bang

vsto hitting

318 1.0

To hit or close something suddenly and loudly

is forceful contact emphasizing the physical blow rather than loud noise

to beat up

vsto hitting

Offensive

271 4.1

To attack someone by hitting them again and again to hurt them

is the neutral description of forceful contact without implying violent attack

to swing

vsto hitting

221 1.5

Move the arm in a wide sweep to try to hit something

is the overall idea of forceful contact without implying a sweep

to hammer

vsto hitting

198 1.6

To hit something many times to shape or flatten it

covers forceful contact across objects and people, not only shaping actions

to smack

vsto hitting

164 3.5

To hit someone or something with an open hand

covers forceful contact without specifying the open hand sharpness

to assault

vsto hitting

126 4.7

To attack someone physically or try to hurt them

is the neutral action of forceful contact without implying violent attack

to bash

vsto hitting

NSFW

73 2.9

To hit someone or something very hard

describes forceful contact more generally without stressing extreme damage

to pummel

vsto hitting

46 6.7

Hit something many times, usually with your fists

focuses on the act of forceful contact rather than repeated blows

to bludgeon

vsto hitting

NSFW

23 8.8

To hit someone repeatedly with a heavy stick or club

describes forceful contact more generally and less about heavy objects

to jab

vsto hitting

19 3.3

To poke quickly and sharply with a finger, hand, or object

is broader and can be quick or sustained, not only short pokes

to slug

vsto hitting

Informal

10 4.6

To hit someone or something very hard, often with the fist

denotes forceful contact generally, not only very heavy single blows

to headbutt

vsto hitting

4 6.1

To hit someone or something hard with your head

is forceful contact by various body parts or objects, not the head specifically

to strike hard

vsto hitting

3 3.7

Hit someone or something very hard

is the general act of forceful contact that may be less sharp

to bop

vsto hitting

Informal

1 6.1

To hit someone quickly in a light, playful way

covers forceful contact ranging from playful to harmful, not only light hits

to whomp

vsto hitting

Informal

1 8.6

To hit forcefully with the hand or a flat object

is the general forceful contact idea without stressing the hand or flat object

to boff

vsto hitting

NSFW

1 9.0

To hit someone or something hard, often by accident

is neutral and does not emphasize suddenness or informality

to smackdown

vsto hitting

Informal

8.6

To hit someone hard so they fall down

describes forceful contact that does not necessarily cause someone to fall

Compounds

hard-hitting

Literature

17 5.6

Direct and strong speech, writing, or action that shocks people

hitting average

Specialized

5.7

The number of hits a batter gets divided by their official times at bat

hitting the punching bag

2.9

An exercise where someone strikes a padded bag to train and relieve stress

How Forceful

smashing

9 3.9

striking

1 4.4

to hitting

3 1.0

smacking

1 4.6

tapping

22 1.9

Surface Forms

hit infinitive

hitting present participle

hits third person singular

hit past

hit past participle

Morphology

hitting = hit (transparent) = hit + ing

The addition of the suffix '-ing' to 'hit' forms the present participle, which is a standard and transparent derivation.

Etymology

Hitting comes from the short verb hit, a very old word that probably started as the sound of a strike, like 'thud'. So hitting means the action of striking or making forceful contact, often with a hand or an object.