hit someone when they are down

verb

Synonym of kick someone when they are down (“make things worse for someone in a difficult position”).

Similar
kick someone when they are downstrike someone when they are down
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Meanings

verbhit someone when they are down (third-person singular simple present hits someone when they are down, present participle hitting someone when they are down, simple past and past participle hit someone when they were down)

present singular third person hits someone when they are down · participle present hitting someone when they are down · participle past hit someone when they were down · past hit someone when they were down

  1. idiomaticSynonym of kick someone when they are down (“make things worse for someone in a difficult position”).

    Not to hit a man when he is down is no item in Lord Stanley's code of honour;

    1844, The Westminster Review, number LXXXIII

    Synonyms: kick someone when they are down, kick someone when they are down, strike someone when they are down

Synonyms & antonyms

verbSynonym of kick someone when they are down (“make things worse for someone in a difficult position”).

Similar
kick someone when they are downkick someone when they are downstrike someone when they are down
Also see
add fuel to the fireaggravatecompoundkick someone when they are downmake matters worserub salt in the woundstrike someone when they are down
Cite this entry
APA

hit someone when they are down. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20someone%20when%20they%20are%20down

MLA

“hit someone when they are down.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20someone%20when%20they%20are%20down. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hit someone when they are down,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20someone%20when%20they%20are%20down.

Source: hit someone when they are down on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.