hit the road

verb

To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.

“It's time for me to hit the road and walk home.”

Similar
hit the pavementhit the trail
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Meanings

verbhit the road (third-person singular simple present hits the road, present participle hitting the road, simple past and past participle hit the road)

present singular third person hits the road · participle present hitting the road

  1. idiomaticslangTo begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.

    If we're gonna make it by sunset, we'd better hit the road.

    Synonyms: hit the pavement

  2. idiomaticslangTo leave a place; to go away.

    It's time for me to hit the road and walk home.

    Synonyms: hit the trail

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.

Similar
hit the pavement

verbTo leave a place; to go away.

Similar
hit the trail
Also see
bust a movefleeget out of herehit the brickshit the pavementpound the pavementtake a long walk on a short pier

Origin

Compare typologically Russian уда́риться в бега́ (udáritʹsja v begá), уда́рить по та́пкам (udáritʹ po tápkam), тро́нуться (trónutʹsja).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 上路
  • 上路 (shànglù)to leave a place; to go away
Finnish lähteä tien päälle, lähteä ajamaan
  • lähteä tien päälleto begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle
  • lähteä ajamaanto begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle
  • häipyäto leave a place; to go away
French prendre la route, mettre les voiles
  • prendre la routeto begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle
  • mettre les voilesto leave a place; to go away
German sich auf den Weg machen, die Kurve kratzen
  • sich auf den Weg machento leave a place; to go away
  • die Kurve kratzento leave a place; to go away
Hungarian útnak indul, útra kel
  • útnak indulto leave a place; to go away
  • útra kelto leave a place; to go away
  • szedi a sátorfájátto leave a place; to go away
  • felkerekedikto leave a place; to go away
  • lelécelto leave a place; to go away
Polish ruszać w drogę, ruszyć w drogę
  • ruszać w drogęto begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle
  • ruszyć w drogęto begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle
  • zmywać sięto leave a place; to go away
  • zmyć sięto leave a place; to go away
Portuguese botar o pé na estrada, botar o pé na estrada
  • botar o pé na estradato begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle
  • botar o pé na estradato leave a place; to go away
Russian отпра́виться в доро́гу
  • отпра́виться в доро́гу (otprávitʹsja v dorógu)to leave a place; to go away
Cite this entry
APA

hit the road. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20the%20road

MLA

“hit the road.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20the%20road. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hit the road,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20the%20road.

Source: hit the road on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.