hot seat

noun

1
slang : electric chair
2
: a position of uneasiness, embarrassment, or anxiety

Examples of hot seat 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.
Brian Kelly has started hearing his name brought up as a potential hot seat candidate. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025 Dem governor in hot seat after whistleblower rips disturbing pattern 3. FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025 With losses come uneasy fan bases, and with uneasy fan bases come edgy owners with itchy fingers, and with edgy owners and itchy fingers come coaches on hot seats. Mike Jones, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025 Jay Norvell’s hot seat: The Rams came into this season expecting to compete for a conference title in their final season in the Mountain West before moving to the Pac-12 in 2026. Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hot seat

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hot seat was in 1925

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hot seat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20seat. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!