the hot seat
noun
: the position of someone who is in trouble or is being asked many difficult or embarrassing questions
When the company ran into financial trouble, it was the accountant who found herself in the hot seat.
Examples of the hot seat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Johnson is suddenly on the hot seat in just his second season.
—
San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2023
In another 10 or 15 years, maybe public (and political) sentiment about this current generation of tech executives will also have shifted—or at least paled next to whatever the next business on the hot seat will be.
—Maria Aspan, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2023
Jenna Bush Hager of Today with Hoda and Jenna has also been in the hot seat, thanks to her co-star Hoda Kotb, who revealed that her fellow host loves to go commando.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2023
In the two-minute clip for the popular Formula 1 documentary series, two-time champion Max Verstappen returns to the hot seat after sitting out of the project last season, claiming that the producers sensationalized drama.
—Victoria Hernandez, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2023
He’s put in the hot seat about one subject after another, and does a convincing job of appearing like a smooth, viable contender — but never comes close to being a three-dimensional fictional character.
—Michael Nordine, Variety, 16 Feb. 2023
Making matters more complicated, China is also using the excuse that its high-flying surveillance drone was a weather balloon as a way to place America in the hot seat.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 16 Feb. 2023
San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2023
In another 10 or 15 years, maybe public (and political) sentiment about this current generation of tech executives will also have shifted—or at least paled next to whatever the next business on the hot seat will be.
—Maria Aspan, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2023
Jenna Bush Hager of Today with Hoda and Jenna has also been in the hot seat, thanks to her co-star Hoda Kotb, who revealed that her fellow host loves to go commando.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2023
In the two-minute clip for the popular Formula 1 documentary series, two-time champion Max Verstappen returns to the hot seat after sitting out of the project last season, claiming that the producers sensationalized drama.
—Victoria Hernandez, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2023
He’s put in the hot seat about one subject after another, and does a convincing job of appearing like a smooth, viable contender — but never comes close to being a three-dimensional fictional character.
—Michael Nordine, Variety, 16 Feb. 2023
Making matters more complicated, China is also using the excuse that its high-flying surveillance drone was a weather balloon as a way to place America in the hot seat.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 16 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the hot seat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“The hot seat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20hot%20seat. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
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