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Prepositions after hit

Hit by, with, at, on, or in?

Hit is followed by different prepositions depending on whether you describe the cause, the tool, the target, or location.

Quick answer

Common prepositions after hit

Use hit by for the thing causing impact, hit with for the instrument or strong effect, and hit at for trying to strike something. On and in usually describe location after hit rather than fixed verb-preposition combinations.

The window was hit by a baseball.
She hit him with a stick.
The boxer hit at his opponent.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
hit by + cause

Showing what caused the impact

Use by to name the person, object, or event that struck something.

The cyclist was hit by a car.
The coast was hit by a severe storm.
2
hit with + instrument/effect

Showing the tool or effect

Use with for the object used to strike or for a strong emotional or economic effect.

He hit the door with his shoulder.
The company was hit with heavy fines.
3
hit at + target

Trying to strike something

Use hit at when someone swings or attacks toward a target, often without clear contact.

The child hit at the balloon.
4
hit + place expression

Describing where contact happened

In expressions with on or in, the preposition often belongs to the location phrase, not directly to hit.

The ball hit him on the arm.
She hit the wall in anger.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
hit by
The roof was hit by lightning.
The cause or source of the impact.
hit with
The fighter hit him with a left hook.
The instrument or means used to strike.
hit at
The cat hit at the toy.
Attempted striking toward a target.
hit on
The ball hit on the roof.
Possible in limited regional or technical use, but standard English usually prefers hit the roof or land on the roof.
hit in
He was hit in the face.
In introduces the body area or location of impact.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using hit on for physical impact

Hit on usually means suddenly think of an idea or flirt with someone, not physical collision.

✕ The car hit on the fence. ✓ The car hit the fence.

Confusing hit by and hit with

By names the source of impact, while with names the instrument used.

✕ She was hit with a truck. ✓ She was hit by a truck.

Adding unnecessary prepositions

Hit often takes a direct object without a preposition.

✕ He hit at the ball and broke it. ✓ He hit the ball and broke it.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The village was hit ___ flooding after the storm.
2. She hit the table ___ her bag.
3. The boxer kept hitting ___ the air.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say hit on someone?

Yes, but hit on usually means flirt with someone, not physically strike them.

Is hit in correct?

Yes. In often introduces the place of impact, as in hit in the eye.

Do I always need a preposition after hit?

No. Hit commonly takes a direct object, such as hit the ball or hit the wall.

hack-into-by-at-to, in "haggle with" or "haggle for"? "hail from" or "hail as"? hamper by, due, in, for or throughout? "handle by" or "handle in"? hang in, from, over, around or onto? "happen to" or "happen in"? harass by, in, at, for or with? "harm by" or "harm to"? harvest from, in, for, at or by? hasten to, by, from, after or into? hate on, for, by, about or in?

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