trek

1 of 2

verb

ˈtrek 

trekked; trekking

intransitive verb

1

: to make one's way arduously

broadly : journey

2

chiefly South Africa

a

: to travel by ox wagon

b

: to migrate by ox wagon or in a train of such

trekker noun

trek

2 of 2

noun

1

: a trip or movement especially when involving difficulties or complex organization : an arduous journey

2

chiefly South Africa : a journey by ox wagon

especially : an organized migration by a group of settlers

Synonyms of trek

Verb

• travel
• journey
• tour
• trip
• voyage
• pilgrimage

Noun

• trip
• expedition
• journey

Examples of trek in a Sentence

Verb

We had to trek up six flights of stairs with our groceries.

On their vacation last year they went trekking in the Himalayas.

We trekked across the country in her old car.

Noun

Our car broke down and we had a long trek back to town.

a trek across the country

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Rather than taking the dry way out and heading home on the 4 train, we all got caught up in a more southerly impulse and trekked to our friends’ new place down in Battery Park City. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Daniel talked with dozens of health officials and trekked to Maine and Louisiana for this eye-opening story. — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 10 Sep. 2026

Noun

On my return trek, the sky began to boil with thunderheads and, moments later, a deluge. — Robert Klose, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Sep. 2026

Until Morrison’s record-breaking trek, only five people had successfully summited, and exactly zero had skied this Chinese-facing side of the world’s highest mountain. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Afrikaans, from Dutch trecken to pull, haul, migrate; akin to Old High German trechan to pull

Noun

Afrikaans, from Dutch treck pull, haul, from trecken

First Known Use

Verb

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for trek

• beck
• breck
• check
• cheque
• czech
• deck
• fleck
• keck
• mech
• neck
• peck
• reck

Kids Definition

trek

1 of 2 verb

ˈtrek 

trekked; trekking

1

chiefly South African : to travel or migrate by ox wagon or in a train of such wagons

2

: to make one's way slowly and painfully

trekker noun

trek

2 of 2 noun

1

chiefly South African : an organized journey or migration of a group of settlers traveling by ox wagon

2

: a slow or difficult journey

Etymology

Verb

from Afrikaans trek, "to travel by ox wagon," from Dutch trecken "to haul, pull"