hotline

noun

hot·​line ˈhät-ˌlīn How to pronounce hotline (audio)
variants or less commonly hot line
plural hotlines also hot lines
1
: a usually toll-free telephone service available to the public or to a group of people for some specific purpose
a suicide prevention hotline
His take reached a total of more than $10,000, but the scam was undone when an alert co-worker noticed it and phoned an employee-theft hotline to report it.David J. Solomon
2
: a direct telephone line in constant operational readiness so as to facilitate immediate communication
John Sullivan told the independent news outlet Novaya Gazeta that an emergency hotline between Washington and Moscow, set up in the Cold War … , was still in existence.Reuters.com
When the Milwaukee Bucks made the emotional decision not to take the court for Game 5 of the playoffs, there was a hotline between the locker room and the NBPA [National Basketball Players Association], with [NBPA head Michele] Roberts counselling the players on the other end of that line.Don Riddell

Examples of hotline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 Workman called 671-SAFE, the city hotline for reports of child abuse, and soon law enforcement officers arrived. Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 The Ad Hoc Group still has a 24 hour community hotline at 816-753-1111. Ella McCarthy, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2024 Crisis hotlines for Arizonans Services for Arizonans in crisis include: Dial 2-1-1 at any time to reach the free 2-1-1 Arizona information and referral service and connect with free resources available locally throughout the state. The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024 Distressed men called a city-run men's hotline, promoted online, for support. Christina Noriega, NPR, 23 Feb. 2024 The organization runs a hotline and chat for LGBTQ people in crisis, and averages about 87 incoming contacts per week from people who self-report as being from Oklahoma. Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024 Much of those fears dissipated if their peers encouraged them to call crisis hotlines, the study said. Journal Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2024 Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-8477. Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hotline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of hotline was in 1954

Dictionary Entries Near hotline

Cite this Entry

“Hotline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotline. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hotline

noun
hot·​line ˈhät-ˌlīn How to pronounce hotline (audio)
: a telephone line for direct emergency use (as between heads of governments or to a counseling service)

Medical Definition

hotline

noun
hot·​line
variants also hot line
: a usually toll-free telephone service available to the public for some specific purpose (as to receive advice or information about a particular subject or to talk confidentially about personal problems to a sympathetic listener)
a poison control hotline
suicide prevention hotlines
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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