hacker

noun

hack·​er ˈha-kər 

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

Synonyms of hacker

• cracker
• cyberpunk
• geek

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

Our cybersecurity defenses were built for lone hackers and dumb swarms. — Michael Morris, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026

This attack-enablement shopping experience is now standard practice, offering hackers do-it-yourself (DIY) options. — Steve Durbin, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

In September 2026, news outlets Wired and 404 Media analyzed data that hackers had copied from one Flock camera. — Henry F. Fradella, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026

Starting last October, hackers gained access to a system operated by the Defense Manpower Data Center, which collates Department of Defense personnel records. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hacker

• acker
• backer
• blacker
• cracker
• lacquer
• packer
• slacker
• stacker
• thacker
• tracker
• attacker
• backpacker

Kids Definition

hacker

noun

hack·​er ˈhak-ər 

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