make a hit
Idioms-
Also, be a hit . Achieve (or be) a success, especially a popular one, as in She made a big hit in this performance , or In out-of-town tryouts the play was already a hit . This seemingly modern term, which transfers the literal meaning of hit as “a stroke or blow,” has been around since the early 1800s. It was used then, as now, for theatrical performances, books, songs, and the like
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In underworld slang, commit a murder, as in Known for his deadly accuracy, he was about to make his third hit . This usage also has been extended to such terms as hit list , a roster of persons to be killed, and hit man , a killer who is usually hired by someone else. [Second half of 1900s]
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.
"He said to me, 'I'm going to make a hit record with you', and then he told other people we were going to do an album," says the singer.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2025
“This theme took on a life of its own. That’s really not something I was planning, or I was trying to make a hit or anything like that,” Tapia de Veer says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2023
Bolden, a seventh-round pick from Jackson State, appeared to collide with teammate Calvin Munson while attempting to make a hit on a pass completion to Green Bay’s Malik Heath.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 19, 2023
Even hip hop mogul P. Diddy appears in an ad, in which he tries to make a hit for Uber One.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 10, 2023
"I think she'll make a hit," Lois replied, slowly.
From Polly's Senior Year at Boarding School by Dorothy Whitehill
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.
