Synonyms

trekking

American

[trek-ing] / ˈtrɛk ɪŋ /

noun

the act of traveling or migrating slowly or with difficulty, as through rough or unsettled territory.

Arduous trekking through the Alleghenies caused their Conestoga wagons to break down again and again.
the act of hiking long distances as a recreational activity, especially over rough terrain.

The three hours of hard trekking over the tough trail is worth it for the splendid view of the valley.
the act of making a relatively short but difficult or burdensome trip.

I moved back into a city apartment because I got tired of all the trekking back and forth and the aggravation of having a house and car.

adjective

traveling, migrating, or hiking over rough terrain, or making any other difficult or burdensome trip.

The overuse of resources by trekking tourists is contributing to environmental harm in Nepal and elsewhere.

Etymology

Origin of trekking

First recorded in 1845–50; trek ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; trek ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective sense

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.

"There has been a slight decrease due to the impact of flights, but mountaineering has not been affected as much as trekking," said Dambar Parajuli, president of the Expedition Operators' Association.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

He’s trekking Greenland, threatening to make it America’s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

It said a task force involving the police, tourist board and aviation officials would "strengthen oversight and conduct regular audits", as well as to ensure guides and trekking agencies were licensed.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

After five hours of trekking he said "I was about to give up and then walked down another path and found it."

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

Mary asked Helen, an aficionado of the outdoors, to take Janice trekking with a full backpack, first on Buckroe Beach, then up into Virginia’s Shenandoah mountains.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023