What does "hit the sack" mean?
"Hit the sack" means to go to bed. Here's where this old expression comes from and similar ways to say you're going to sleep.
What it means
To go to bed and sleep. An informal way of saying you're going to sleep.
"I'm exhausted - I'm going to hit the sack."
"Right, I'm hitting the sack. Night."
Where it comes from
"Sack" was old slang for a straw-filled sleeping bag or mattress. Workers and travellers would sleep on sacks. "Hitting" it meant throwing yourself down onto it. The expression dates to the early 20th century.
Similar expressions
- "Hit the hay" - identical meaning, same origin (sleeping on hay)
- "Turn in" - British English, more formal
- "Call it a night" - specifically ending an evening
- "Crash" - informal, implies collapsing with exhaustion
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Casual. Use with friends and family. Too informal for professional emails.
What does "hit the sack" mean?
To go to bed and sleep. An informal way of saying you're going to sleep.
"I'm exhausted - I'm going to hit the sack."
"Right, I'm hitting the sack. Night."
Is "hit the sack" formal or informal?
Casual. Use with friends and family. Too informal for professional emails.
What's another way to say "hit the sack"?
- "Hit the hay" - identical meaning, same origin (sleeping on hay)
- "Turn in" - British English, more formal
- "Call it a night" - specifically ending an evening
- "Crash" - informal, implies collapsing with exhaustion
Why do native speakers say "hit the sack"?
"Sack" was old slang for a straw-filled sleeping bag or mattress. Workers and travellers would sleep on sacks. "Hitting" it meant throwing yourself down onto it. The expression dates to the early 20th century.
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