# hitchhiking

/ˈhɪtʃˌhaɪkɪŋ/ (US) · /hˈɪtʃhaɪkɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hitchhiking
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

travelling by asking drivers you do not know for free rides, usually by standing at the side of the road.

For teachers: soliciting free rides from passing motorists as a means of travel, typically by signalling from the roadside.

## Examples

- They go hitchhiking across the country every summer.
- With no bus service to the village, she relies on hitchhiking to get to work each morning.
- Hitchhiking, once a common rite of passage for young travellers, has declined in many countries as concerns about road safety have grown.

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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.