hooked

1 of 2

adjective

ˈhu̇kt How to pronounce hooked (audio)
sense 1 is also
ˈhu̇-kəd How to pronounce hooked (audio)
Synonyms of hookednext
1
: having the form of a hook
2
: provided with a hook
3
: made by hooking
a hooked rug
4
a
: addicted to narcotics
b
: fascinated by or devoted to something

hooked

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of hook entry 2

Examples of hooked in a Sentence

Adjective Her friends talked her into playing golf, and now she's hooked.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Even in brighter skies, its shape is recognizable, forming a hooked pattern that stands out from the surrounding stars. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026 The word likely referred to the way grapes grow in hooked, clustered bunches. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 Amelie Claydon put together a guide for new fans who are looking to stay hooked. — Matt Piper, New York Times, 26 July 2026 Perps are less obvious of a fit for sports betting, where wagers are generally hooked to the outcome of a game or other event with a clear end date. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hooked

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hooked was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing hooked

Rhymes for hooked

See All Rhymes for hooked

Browse Nearby Words

Hooke's law
hooked
hooked on
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hooked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hooked. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

hooked

adjective
ˈhu̇kt How to pronounce hooked (audio)
1
: shaped like or provided with a hook
2
a
: addicted to narcotics
b
: fascinated by or fond of something
hooked on skiing

More from Merriam-Webster on hooked

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hooked

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of conscientious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All