hotbed

noun

hot·​bed ˈhät-ˌbed 

1

: a bed of soil enclosed in glass, heated especially by fermenting manure, and used for forcing or for raising seedlings

2

: an environment that favors rapid growth or development

a hotbed of activity

Synonyms of hotbed

• center
• mecca
• nest

Examples of hotbed in a Sentence

a hotbed of political unrest

prerevolutionary Boston was viewed as a hotbed of treason by the British

Recent Examples on the Web

More recently, nearby Shasta County has become a hotbed of election denialism and MAGA politics, with its Board of Supervisors voting in 2023 to end the use of Dominion Voting Systems machines in favor of pursuing a hand-counting system. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026

These vessels have been notorious hotbeds for the spread of other infectious diseases, such as COVID-19 and norovirus. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 5 May 2026

With over 75 dinosaur species —including a new species discovered last year — Montana is a hotbed for dinosaur fossils. —Alex Temblador, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026

There’s a lot of controversy swirling around surveillance technology, and Atlanta is a hotbed of it. —Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hotbed

• abed
• ahead
• beachhead
• bedspread
• bedstead
• behead
• blackhead
• blockhead
• bloodshed
• bowhead
• breastfed
• bridgehead

Kids Definition

hotbed

noun

hot·​bed ˈhät-ˌbed 

1

: a heated bed of soil enclosed in glass and used for growing seedlings

2

: an environment that favors rapid growth or development

a hotbed of innovation