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 vulnerabilities had been known for years, but exploiting them was considered too difficult and time-consuming for hackers. — Alexa Lomonaco,matthew J. Belvedere,jeff Marks, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 That's all data that hackers, scammers, and criminals of all kinds can use to create convincing phishing emails or text messages to trick you into giving them your money, additional personal data, or both. — Kim Key, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026 Cybersecurity experts told Fortune that unpatched systems could let hackers run code remotely, which puts websites and sensitive data at risk. — Diane Brady, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026 The discovery of the flaws highlights the battle between security professionals and hackers in using AI to spot potential holes in organizations' technology systems. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 22 Oct. 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
  • For a few moments, the image jerks around in a raw amateur way.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The London edition of Frieze, a longstanding highlight on the global art calendar that draws an annual pilgrimage of high-net-worth collectors, advisors, dealers, curators, institutional directors and amateurs to the British capital.
    — Mahoro Seward, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of amateur
Noun
  • For movie geeks everywhere, this has been the question since Kubrick’s death in 1999.
    — Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Lucca Comics chief speaks to Variety about pulling out all the stops to celebrate the crossover between different forms of geek culture, in particular between movies and video games.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of geek
Noun
  • The South is cheapest for young kids For families with young children, annual costs are lowest across much of the South.
    — Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • When Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stopped in London in 2024, the Prince of Wales wanted a photo with his kids and the world-famous singer.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of kid
Noun
  • Classes range from beginner-friendly lessons, like learning how to use a machine, to teaching intermediate skills, like hemming pants or installing a zipper.
    — Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Ski Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is one of the hardest mountains in North America, with only 10 percent of its terrain meant for beginners.
    — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of beginner
Noun
  • Quest Diagnostics has seen hacks impacting patient records before.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Billie Eilish shared the kind of makeup hack beauty girlies dream about, using a product that cost less than $10 at the time.
    — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of hack
Noun
  • To capture some of that essence, Guitar Center is trying to make its stores a place to hang out for novices and pros alike.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • In the latest, The Big Cats Dance Party, a high-profile case falls to a novice sleuth while the agency’s founder is away.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 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 27 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hacker

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