Run over/hit/strike
 

Hello

I would like to know if these 3 words are synonyms.

I know 'run over' means 'to drive over someone' but I have doubts when it comes to verbs like 'strike' or 'hit'. Do they mean 'to pass over someone' as well?

He was hit/run over/struck by a car.

Thank you!:)

Re: Run over/hit/strike
 

In that context hit and run over are synonymous, but struck would be less likely (though not impossible), I think, and more formal. None of them (confusingly including run over) necessarily literally means "pass over" though - just that there was some sort of impact.

But of course, that's only true for that context - for instance, you can only be struck by lightning and not hit and it's not formal at all.