hit the streets

verb

To go out in search of something or for a specific purpose.

“Near-synonyms: pound the pavement; beat the bushes (North America)”

Similar
pound the pavementbeat the busheshit the shopshit the storeshit the shelves
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Meanings

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

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

  1. idiomaticTo go out in search of something or for a specific purpose.

    Near-synonyms: pound the pavement; beat the bushes (North America)

    Synonyms: pound the pavement, beat the bushes

  2. idiomaticTo become available for purchase.

    Synonyms: hit the shops, hit the stores, hit the shelves

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo go out in search of something or for a specific purpose.

Similar
pound the pavementbeat the bushes

verbTo become available for purchase.

Similar
hit the shopshit the storeshit the shelves
Also see
pound the pavement
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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