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

• cracker
• cyberpunk

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

This lack of protective measures, including firewalls and antivirus software, can create vulnerabilities and support the hacker's appetite. —Dewayne Hart, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025

Coinbase refused to pay their ransom demand of $20 million and is instead offering a $20 million reward for information about the hackers. —Rachel Barber, USA Today, 21 May 2025

Ransomware locks computer systems until the victim accedes to the hacker’s extortion demands. —Jade Walker, CNN Money, 21 May 2025

Coinbase has refused to pay a $20-million ransom demand by hackers. —Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025

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