Getting Hitched – Origin and Meaning

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Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

Curious about the meaning of the phrase “getting hitched”? Well, you’ve come to the right place! I love shedding light on how to properly use the English language and all its many confusing terms. Getting hitched is considered slang, but it has a widely accepted meaning which I’ll cover right here and show you how it works within a sentence.

What Is the Meaning of Hitched?

The basic term “hitched” means to connect two objects together. A great example is a camping trailer. In order for me to haul my trailer with my truck, I have to attach it to the hitch at the back. Once it’s secured, it’s considered “hitched.”

But the word is also used as slang for getting married or being in a committed relationship and is usually used in a casual and light-hearted context. Let me explain a bit more.

Getting Hitched Meaning Explained

Getting Hitched Origin Meaning 1

“Getting hitched” is an informal way of saying that someone’s getting married or entering into a committed partnership of some kind (but mostly just marriage). The idiomatic phrase is meant to be used humorously or at least casually when you want to describe the act of tying the knot.

Get Hitched or Got Hitched?

Why not both? They’re correct, after all. “Get hitched” is supposed to be used to describe two people who are getting married but haven’t done so yet.

“Got hitched” has the same intent; it’s just the past tense form, referring to people who’ve already gotten married.

  • They’re planning to get hitched next summer.
  • They got hitched last weekend.

Origin of Getting Hitched

The idea of hitching a wagon to a horse or a team of horses was a common practice (actually, the only practice) for transporting goods and people back in those days. So, the term eventually came to represent the idea of two people being joined together in marriage, much like a wagon and a horse.

What Is the Synonym of Hitched?

Getting Hitched Examples in a Sentence

Getting Hitched Origin Meaning

Here are a few sentences showing you how to use “getting hitched.”

  • Candace and Corey decided to get hitched in a small, intimate ceremony with just their family and a few friends.
  • My best friend got hitched last weekend, and the outdoor wedding was absolutely beautiful.
  • My mom and her fiancé are getting hitched next summer in a beachside destination in Musgrave Harbour.
  • I know we got hitched after dating for only six months, but we’re still happily married fifteen years later.
  • Our neighbors got hitched in a surprise ceremony that left everyone in awe, and we watched from the window like the nosey neighbors we were.
  • I know many couples who got hitched at city hall for a more low-key wedding experience.

Are You Getting Hitched?

Whether you’re talking about your own amazing wedding plans, celebrating a friend’s nuptials, or just casually discussing the topic of marriage, “getting hitched” is a fun and informal way to describe the act of joining together in matrimony.