hot button

noun

: an emotional and usually controversial issue or concern that triggers immediate intense reaction

hot-button

ˈhät-ˈbə-tᵊn 

adjective

Examples of hot button in a Sentence

The film is considered very controversial for all the hot buttons it pushes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Grande’s health status has been a hot button topic over the past few years, with fans expressing concern about her physical appearance and speculating about her health. — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Aug. 2026

Rather than jumping from one hot button report to the next, the prognosticators should confront the complexity of the industry and focus on the resilience and adaptiveness of the energy markets. — George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Harrington’s first comments as mayor stayed light and forward-looking without delving into the city’s hot button issues. — Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026

The case became a hot button issue at the time amid a rash of disappearances and murders of Black women and girls in the Midwest state. — Michael Loria, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hot button

• unbutton
• clutton
• glutton
• mutton