hard-hitting
Americanadjective
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striking or capable of striking with force.
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strikingly or effectively forceful.
a hard-hitting exposé.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of hard-hitting
First recorded in 1830–40
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Early signs suggested that “Iceman” would constitute a return to Drake’s tough-talking ways in the wake of his humiliating defeat, and indeed that’s largely what the album delivers over plush yet hard-hitting beats.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026
In a hard-hitting report on European competitiveness in 2024, Draghi called for a fundamental change of course by the bloc to stay in the race against the United States and China, notably through joint investments.
From Barron's ● May 14, 2026
"There are hard-hitting moments but in the end I want it to give people hope and joy."
From BBC ● May 12, 2026
His witty, thoughtful verses broadened the scope of hip-hop with stories about treating your mother with respect and catching your girlfriend cheating with the postman, alongside hard-hitting lyrics about social deprivation and immigration.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2026
A hard-hitting linebacker and captain on the football team who left the field and refused to return when a brawl erupted in his final high school game.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
