hacker

noun

hack·​er ˈha-kər How to pronounce hacker (audio)
1
: one that hacks
2
: a person who is inexperienced or unskilled at a particular activity
a tennis hacker
3
: an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer
4
: a person who illegally gains access to and sometimes tampers with information in a computer system

Examples of hacker in a Sentence

My friends and I have been playing golf for years, but we're still just a bunch of hackers. the company's security experts spent days trying to figure out how a hacker could have gotten past the firewall
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
We have all got used to reading about how best to mitigate the risk of hackers attacking your smartphone, or Windows computer, and hardware threats continue to evolve as recent reports of attackers using your GPU to steal your passwords prove. Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 If a hacker tries to intercept the data, the system detects it immediately and blocks unauthorized access. Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025 The news comes a month after Twitter was targeted by a group of pro-Palestinian hackers who managed to disable the site for several hours. Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025 Kaspersky suspects hackers are exploiting a hole in the supply chain for counterfeit Android phones to install the malware. Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hacker

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hacker was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Hacker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hacker. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

hacker

noun
hack·​er ˈhak-ər How to pronounce hacker (audio)
1
: one that hacks
2
: a person who is unskilled at a particular activity
3
: an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer
4
: a person who illegally gains access to a computer system

More from Merriam-Webster on hacker

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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