# hit someone when they are down

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hit-someone-when-they-are-down
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Synonym of kick someone when they are down (“make things worse for someone in a difficult position”).

## Examples

- It is cruel to hit someone when they are down.
- He lost his job yesterday, so please do not hit him when he is down by criticizing his work.
- Even though their political rival had just suffered a humiliating defeat, the opposition party continued to hit them when they were down by leaking further damaging information.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.