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

The tri-border area has long been a hotbed for extremist violence, a trend worsened by the lack of security cooperation with Niger and Burkina Faso, both now led by military juntas. —Arkansas Online, 13 Apr. 2026

For one thing, Augusta has never been the sort of place that can be characterized as a hotbed of forward thinking. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 Apr. 2026

Waters are frozen early and often in the frozen tundra, which has made the Midwest somewhat of a hockey hotbed. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026

The area is a hotbed for talent in every sport, from the most popular like football and basketball to the most niche of sports like water polo, tennis or golf. —Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 7 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