hotly

adverb

hot·​ly ˈhät-lē How to pronounce hotly (audio)
: in a hot manner
a hotly contested series

Examples of hotly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Zach Top will compete against Langley for new artist of the year, a category that will be hotly contested this year. Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025 Ernst’s decision to forgo a third term leaves an open seat that could become hotly contested as Democrats try to retake the majority in the upper chamber. Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 2 Sep. 2025 School curricula have been hotly debated in recent years, including in Idaho. Idaho Statesman, 2 Sep. 2025 The study — which hasn't been peer-reviewed — appears to show mounting evidence that AI will replace jobs, a topic that has been hotly debated. Shreya Ghosal,dylan Butts, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hotly

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hotly was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Hotly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotly. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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