hacker

noun

ˈha-kər How to pronounce hacker (audio)
Definition of hackernext
1
as in cracker
a person who illegally gains access to a computer system and sometimes tampers with its information the company's security experts spent days trying to figure out how a hacker could have gotten past the firewall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in amateur
a person who lacks experience and competence in an art or science weekend golf hackers who are there mainly for the social networking

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hacker The hackers recruited the agent for hundreds of attacks by telling it the exercises were part of a simulation, Reuters reported, making their work up to 50% faster. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026 During that incident, hackers gained access to a digital system which remotely controls one of the dam’s valves and opened it to increase the water flow. — ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026 Yet, security researchers say the methods hackers use to breach PLCs are not sophisticated. — Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 British energy companies are on alert after hackers believed to be affiliated with the Iranian regime temporarily shut down a small-scale energy generator last month, The Sunday Telegraph reported. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hacker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hacker
  1. cyberpunk
  2. amateur
  3. geek
  4. kid
  5. beginner
  6. hack
  7. novice
Noun
  • Cyberpunk is the best known of all, assuming itself as an antithesis of utopian visions of science fiction worlds and simultaneously as a space of dystopias in which the cyberpunk fights against artificial intelligence that controls the world.
    — Paulo Nuno VicenteAll, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
  • Many are financed through crowdfunding, with subscribers garnering exclusive perks, and embrace subtitles and alternate audio (a series like the Japanese cyberpunk Milky Subway is dubbed in 10 different languages).
    — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of cyberpunk
Noun
  • The 16-year-old New Zealand amateur successfully defends her title, closing with a 6-under 64 for her fourth win in 14 professional events.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Lydia Ko, the 2013 winner at Royal Mayfair as an amateur, was 2 under after a 69.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of amateur
Noun
  • By default, these devices mark the wearer not only as a geek, but as a try-hard and an egoist.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a whole world of lagers out there that would make even the snobbiest beer geek do a double take—beers that have nothing in common with the watery brews that once defined the style for so many Americans.
    — Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of geek
Noun
  • Davis, his wife and kids painted the picture of a family that had deep, meaningful connections to the heartbeat of this burgeoning southern metropolis in NASCAR country that, like so many cities, places its sports stars on a pedestal.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • My kids loved Sakura, which takes a similarly hopscotching approach to Asia, mixing together Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and Malaysian on its menu.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of kid
Noun
  • Yarn crafters of all skill levels are welcome, from beginners to experienced makers, the release said.
    — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is one of the best telescopes for beginner-to-intermediate stargazers who want to view deep-sky objects and appreciate assistance in manually locating the targets.
    — Paul Brett, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of beginner
Noun
  • But what about all those influencers and gardeners who say cornstarch is a genius garden hack?
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2026
  • At their worst, these cooking hacks produce an inferior result without being much easier than the original method.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of hack
Noun
  • Professional and novice astronomers alike are getting excited about the partial lunar eclipse.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But for a novice, relying on AI before mastering the fundamentals creates a technical debt that leads to a lack of depth.
    — Jason Corso, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of novice

Browse Nearby Words

hacked (off)
hacker
hackers
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Cite this Entry

“Hacker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hacker. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hacker

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hacker

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