# hit out at

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hit-out-at
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to strongly criticize someone or something in public.

For teachers: to deliver a sharp, often sudden verbal or written attack against a person, policy, or organization; frequently used in journalistic contexts to describe political or social rebuttals.

## Examples

- The mayor hit out at the new tax plans today.
- In a recent interview, the actress hit out at the tabloid press for invading her privacy.
- The opposition leader hit out at the government's failure to address the housing crisis, calling the current strategy both short-sighted and economically reckless.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He hit out the manager." but "He hit out at the manager." — the preposition 'at' is essential to direct the criticism toward the target.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a person, a group, or a specific policy as the object.
- Teaching tip: this is a 'newspaper' verb; encourage students to look for it in headlines where space is limited and strong verbs are preferred over 'criticize'.

---

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.