hack
hak
Hack (verb) means to cut or chop something roughly, without precision. Example: “The gardener hacked at the thick hedge until it was roughly the right shape.”
verb
1
To cut or chop something roughly, without precision.
"The gardener hacked at the thick hedge until it was roughly the right shape."
"I hacked off a chunk of bread with a blunt knife."
"He hacked through the overgrown branches with a machete."
2
To break into a computer system or account without authorization.
"Someone hacked into her email account and sent spam to all her friends."
"The company says criminals tried to hack its customer database."
"The group claimed they had hacked into the company's servers overnight."
3
To find a clever, often improvised shortcut for solving a problem.
"He hacked a solution together from spare parts in his shed."
"We hacked our way around the problem with a simple spreadsheet."
"She hacked together a workaround using duct tape and an old charger."
noun
1
A clever shortcut, trick, or workaround.
"My favourite travel hack is rolling clothes instead of folding them."
"Students share study hacks online to save time before exams."
"Here's a quick hack for folding a fitted sheet."
2
A skilled but unglamorous or uncreative worker, especially a writer or programmer producing mediocre work for hire.
"The newspaper hired a hack to write the dull weekly column."
"He felt like a hack, turning out cheap stories for a paycheque."
"Critics dismissed him as a hack churning out formulaic scripts."
How to use hack
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo chop roughly, break into a system, or find a clever workaround — depending on context.
Common mistake
"Hack" the tool/trick sense (a life hack) and "hack" the crime sense (hacking a system) are very different meanings — check context before assuming the negative one.
Common pairings
hack into
life hack
hack together
hack away at
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Word forms
- Plural
- hacks
- Third person singular
- hacks
- Past tense
- hacked
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The gardener _____ at the thick hedge until it was roughly the right shape.
Etymology
From Old English haccian ("to hack, chop"), related to German hacken and Dutch hakken; the computing sense dates to the 1950s-60s, first meaning clever problem-solving before picking up its darker "break into a system" meaning by the 1960s.
Class of 1950
hack joined the language around 1950.
See the full Class of 1950 →
Related words
Rhymes for hack
See all rhymes for hack →Frequently asked questions
What does “hack” mean?
The word “hack” means to cut or chop something roughly, without precision. In plain terms, to chop roughly, break into a system, or find a clever workaround — depending on context.
How do you pronounce “hack”?
“Hack” is pronounced hak (/hæk/ in IPA).
How do you use “hack” in a sentence?
Here is “hack” used in a sentence: “He hacked through the overgrown branches with a machete.”
What is another word for “hack”?
Words with a similar meaning to “hack” include nag.
What part of speech is “hack”?
Depending on how it is used, “hack” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “hack” come from?
The word “hack” dates back to around 1950 and comes from Old English.
Is “hack” a common word?
“Hack” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “hack” have?
“Hack” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to cut or chop something roughly, without precision.
Is "hack" always negative when talking about computers?
No. The narrow sense — breaking into a computer system without authorization — is illegal, but "hack" also has a neutral or admiring sense of finding clever technical solutions. That is why security testers are called "ethical hackers" and coding events are called "hackathons"; context shows whether wrongdoing or ingenuity is meant.
What is the difference between "hack" and "chop"?
Both mean to cut with forceful blows, but "hack" implies rough, clumsy, or violent cutting ("the branches had been hacked off"), while "chop" suggests deliberate, controlled strokes, as when chopping wood or vegetables. "Hack" therefore often carries a tone of damage or crudeness that "chop" lacks.
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