hike

American  

[hahyk] / haɪk /

verb (used without object)

hiked, hiking

1. to walk or march a great distance, especially through rural areas, for pleasure, exercise, military training, or the like.

   Synonyms:

   backpack, trudge, trek, ramble, tramp

2. to move up or rise, as out of place or position (often followed byup ).

   My shirt hikes up if I don't wear a belt.

3. Nautical. to hold oneself outboard on the windward side of a heeling sailboat to reduce the amount of heel.

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verb (used with object)

hiked, hiking

1. to move, draw, or raise with a jerk (often followed byup ).

   to hike up one's socks.

2. to increase, often sharply and unexpectedly.

   to hike the price of milk.

noun

1. a long walk or march for recreational activity, military training, or the like.

2. an increase or rise, often sharp and unexpected.

   a hike in wages.

idioms

1. take a hike, to go away because one's company is not desired.

hike British  

/ haɪk /

verb

1. (intr) to walk a long way, usually for pleasure or exercise, esp in the country

2. (usually foll by up) to pull or be pulled; hitch

3. (tr) to increase (a price)

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noun

1. a long walk

2. a rise in prices, wages, etc

hike More Idioms  

1. see take a hike.

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Other Word Forms

• hiker noun

Etymology

Origin of hike

First recorded in 1800–10; perhaps dialectal variant of hitch ¹

Explanation

To hike is to walk a long way at a leisurely pace. You might love to hike in the woods on weekends. When you hike, you walk for pleasure, often in a wooded or hilly area. The trip itself is also a hike, whether you hike the Appalachian Trail or climb a local hill. Another meaning of hike is "to increase," as when the library decides to hike the fees for late books. Hike has been around since the 1800's, when it was spelled hyke, but its origin is uncertain. The "walk vigorously" meaning is older than the "raise or increase" meaning.

Example Sentences

The mayor’s alternative — a 9.5% across-the-board property-tax hike — faced fierce pushback.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

Warsh’s previous speeches suggest he believes that shrinking the balance sheet by $1 trillion has an effect on the economy equivalent to an interest-rate hike of 50 basis points.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

Many begin the hike up to its highest peak - Yr Wyddfa - during the early hours of the morning to reach the top by sunrise.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

The focus is on how the central bank assesses the longer-term impact of Middle East developments on the real economy and how that ties to the timing of the next hike, the economists said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

During our hike to Meir’s house, Frankie and I couldn’t have gone more than two hundred meters from the road.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• backpack
• explore
• hoof it
• stroll
• tramp