Hitch — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈhich/

Meaning & Definition of Hitch

Hitch (verb)

  1. to move by jerks or with a tug
  2. to catch or fasten by or as if by a hook or knot
  3. to connect (a vehicle or implement) with a source of motive power

Hitch (noun)

  1. limp
  2. a sudden movement or pull, jerk
  3. a sudden halt, stoppage

Hitch (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized

    "there are always a few hitches when you launch a system as complex as this one"

    similar: booby trap, catch, catch-22, gimmick, gotcha, joker, land mine, pitfall, snag
    related: snare, trap, trip wire, web, hazard, peril, risk, bomb, bombshell, kicker, surprise, bait, decoy, lure

  2. a fixed period of time during which a person holds a job or position

    "signed on for a three-year hitch in the army"

    similar: stint, tenure, term, tour
    related: shift, watch, go, turn, duration, standing, time, cycle, span, spell, stretch, life, lifespan, lifetime, run

Hitch (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion

    "kept hitching up his pants because they were too big in the waist"

    similar: buck, hoick, jerk, jolt, twitch, yank
    related: bump, jounce, lurch, pitch, stagger, jig, jiggle, jog, joggle, shake, drag, lug, pull, tug, pluck, tweak, grab, rip, snap (up), snatch, tear, wrench, wrest, wring

  2. to put or bring together so as to form a new and longer whole

    "she escaped out the window by using a makeshift rope of bedsheets and clothing she'd hitched together"

    similar: catenate, chain, compound, concatenate, conjugate, connect, couple, hook, interconnect, interlink, join, link, yoke
    related: articulate, dovetail, integrate, interlock, intermesh, cord, string, wire, cement, coalesce, combine, fuse, unite, weld
    opposite: disconnect, disjoin, disjoint, dissever, disunite, separate, unchain, uncouple, unhitch, unlink, unyoke
    near: detach, disengage, divide, part, split, cleave, rupture, sever, sunder

  3. to put securely in place or in a desired position

    "hitched the trailer to the back of the car"

    similar: anchor, catch, clamp, fasten, fix, moor, secure, set
    related: embed, entrench, implant, ingrain, lodge, stuff, wedge
    opposite: loose, loosen, unfasten, unfix, unloose, unloosen
    near: extract, prize, pry, pull, root (out), tear (out), uproot, wrest, yank

  4. to travel by securing free rides

    "her brother hitched across the country after he graduated from college"

    similar: hitchhike, thumb
    related: bum, stow away, carjack, hijack

Related Entry: Without a hitch (phrase)

Without a hitch is a different word from Hitch. The synonyms below are for without a hitch, not for hitch.

  1. without difficulty

    "Opening night went off without a hitch."

    similar: easily, easy, effortlessly, facilely, fluently, freely, handily, hands down, lightly, painlessly, readily, smoothly, well, in a breeze, no sweat (slang), without ado
    related: ably, adeptly, adroitly, competently, deftly, dexterously, efficiently, expertly, masterfully, proficiently, skillfully, instinctively, intuitively, naturally, spontaneously
    opposite: arduously, hardly, laboriously, strenuously
    near: awkwardly, clumsily, gracelessly, ham-handedly, ineptly, maladroitly, unskillfully, meticulously, painfully, painstakingly, thoroughly, assiduously, diligently, indefatigably, industriously, intensely, intently, mightily, sedulously, tirelessly

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Hitch

The most common words with a similar meaning to Hitch:

booby trap, catch, catch-22, gimmick, gotcha, joker, land mine, pitfall, snag, stint, tenure, term, tour, buck, hoick, jerk, jolt, twitch, yank, catenate, chain, compound, concatenate, conjugate, connect, couple, hook, interconnect, interlink, join, link, yoke, anchor, clamp, fasten, fix, moor, secure, set, hitchhike

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Hitch

Words with the opposite meaning of Hitch:

disconnect, disjoin, disjoint, dissever, disunite, separate, unchain, uncouple, unhitch, unlink, unyoke, loose, loosen, unfasten, unfix, unloose, unloosen

Related Words for Hitch

snare, trap, trip wire, web, hazard, peril, risk, bomb, bombshell, kicker, surprise, bait, decoy, lure, shift, watch, go, turn, duration, standing, time, cycle, span, spell, stretch, life, lifespan, lifetime, run, bump

Near Antonyms of Hitch

detach, disengage, divide, part, split, cleave, rupture, sever, sunder, extract, prize, pry, pull, root (out), tear (out), uproot, wrest, yank

Word Forms of Hitch

Inflections: hitched, hitching, hitches

Derived words: hitcher (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Hitch

Middle English hytchen

First known use: 15th centuryt

Words & Phrases Containing Hitch

hitch up, hitch a lift, hitch a ride, hitch one's wagon to, Blackwall hitch, clove hitch, half hitch, rolling hitch

Frequently Asked Questions about Hitch

What does "Hitch" mean?

"Hitch" means to move by jerks or with a tug. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to move by jerks or with a tug. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Hitch"?

Other words for "Hitch" include booby trap, catch, catch-22, gimmick, gotcha, joker, land mine and pitfall. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Hitch" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Hitch"?

There are 119 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Hitch". Common alternatives include booby trap, catch, catch-22, gimmick, gotcha, joker, land mine, pitfall, snag and stint.

What is the opposite of "Hitch"?

Antonyms of "Hitch" include disconnect, disjoin, disjoint, dissever, disunite, separate, unchain and uncouple. Near antonyms include detach, disengage, divide and part.

How do you use "Hitch" in a sentence?

Examples of "Hitch" in a sentence: "there are always a few hitches when you launch a system as complex as this one"; "signed on for a three-year hitch in the army"; "kept hitching up his pants because they were too big in the waist".

Is "Hitch" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Hitch" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Hitch"?

"Hitch" is pronounced /ˈhich/.

What is the origin of the word "Hitch"?

"Hitch" comes from Middle English hytchen. First known use: 15th centuryt.