hot water

noun

: a difficult or dangerous situation : trouble entry 1 sense 4

—used with in or into

But this poor fellow was always getting into hot water, and if there was a wrong way of doing a thing, was sure to hit upon it.

—Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

In recent years, comedians have found themselves in hot water for making politically incorrect topics about everything from race to gender.

—James Hohmann

Examples of hot water in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Video showed Grayson directing Massey to remove a pot of hot water from the stove. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026

Using hot water will be faster, but room-temp water will dissolve within 3 minutes or so. — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2026

The inspector noted improper date marking and food storage, as well as a lack of hot water and deficiencies in employee hygiene, according to the spokesperson. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Aug. 2026

Others see parallels in Hogan’s strongheadedness landing him in hot water with a federal judge yet again. — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hot water

• backwater
• bathwater
• blackwater
• breakwater
• deepwater
• edgewater
• feedwater
• floodwater
• freshwater
• granddaughter
• groundwater
• headwater

Kids Definition

hot water

noun

: a distressing situation : trouble

in hot water for not doing my chores