hiking

The word “hiking” means the activity of walking long distances outdoors, typically on trails, for pleasure or exercise. In plain terms, walking through countryside or mountains as a leisure activity.

“Hiking” is pronounced HEYE-kihng (/ˈhaɪkɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “hiking” used in a sentence: “Hiking is one of the best ways to see the national park.”

“Hiking” is a noun.

“Hiking” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

Hiking specifically means walking longer distances outdoors, usually on trails or rougher terrain, for pleasure or exercise, whereas walking is the general term for moving on foot anywhere, including city streets. Hiking implies a more deliberate, often nature-based activity.

Both involve walking outdoors, but hiking usually refers to day walks or shorter trail outings, while trekking suggests a longer, more demanding journey, often lasting several days over challenging terrain. Trekking is generally more strenuous than hiking.

Hiking is the activity of walking outdoor trails, typically completed within a day, while backpacking means hiking with a loaded pack and camping overnight, often for several days. Backpacking combines hiking with self-supported wilderness travel.

Both describe walking outdoors for pleasure, but rambling is a chiefly British term suggesting a relaxed, wandering country walk, while hiking, more common in American English, implies purposeful walking on trails, sometimes over tougher ground.