hotshot

noun

hot·​shot ˈhät-ˌshät 

plural hotshots

1

: a talented or successful person who often has a showy or flashy manner

There are, of course, people here who believe that most Washington hotshots, journalistic as well as governmental, are fatly overpaid already …

—Meg Greenfield

… some young hotshots are leaving mutual funds … to set up hedge funds at a rate of more than one a day.

—Mitchell Pacelle

—often used before another noun

a hotshot actor

These days, the only teasing that Leinart gets is from friends who tell him that he doesn't take advantage of being a hotshot college quarterback.

—Phil Taylor

2

: a person trained to fight forest fires especially in remote areas

As a hotshot, his job was to rappel from helicopters into wildfires across the country.

—Anton L. Delgado and Dustin Patar

—often used before another noun

[Firefighter Zachary] Resnick said his hotshot crew used to get a break fighting wildfires from late November to late spring. Now, they're on duty nearly year-round.

—Lilia Luciano

3

: a fast freight train

First is a hotshot, LADAF, an automobile and trailer train from Los Angeles to Dallas ("F" stands for Forwarder). Its route through Texas is roundabout, so LADAF has to really move, and move it does …

—Fred W. Frailey

Synonyms

• expert
• master
• scholar
• adept
• virtuoso
• wizard
• guru
• artist
• ace

Examples of hotshot in a Sentence

The company has hired a couple of young hotshots to revamp its advertising campaign.

That guy thinks he's a real hotshot.

Recent Examples on the Web

Not only is the work physically and mentally grueling, hotshots must dedicate at least six months of their life to their crew, sacrificing time with family and friends, along with individual autonomy. —River Selby august 25, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2025

In July, ProPublica reported that, according to agency data, its fire and aviation management program contained more than 4,500 active vacancies, including for such crucial primary firefighting positions as hotshots, dispatchers and engine captains. —Abe Streep, ProPublica, 14 Aug. 2025

While the movie's official logline has yet to be revealed, The Love Hypothesis novel centers on Olive Smith, a biology PhD candidate, and Dr. Adam Carlsen, a hotshot professor. —Jordana Comiter, People.com, 18 July 2025

One hotshot crew and two Type 2 IA crews remain on the fire today with support from aerial resources. —Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for hotshot

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot

Kids Definition

hotshot

noun

hot·​shot ˈhät-ˌshät 

: a showily skillful person