hot button
noun
: an emotional and usually controversial issue or concern that triggers immediate intense reaction
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
One hot button issue — politics — is less likely to be discussed at holiday gatherings.
—
Jennifer De Pinto, CBS News, 24 Dec. 2025
At a time when Americans remain divided over hot button issues like artificial intelligence and policing, some say new technology is helping officers break down barriers and connect with their communities.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 30 Nov. 2025
Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch's ejection for his role in a postgame brawl during Sunday night's game in Kansas City has become a hot button topic for NFL and Lions fans ever since, with Lions players Alim McNeill and Dan Skipper expressing their anger in recent days.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Freedom of expression and issues of self-censorship were leitmotifs of this year’s Zurich Summit, with execs discussing attacks on cultural pluralism and as well as attitudes to hot button films.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot button
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Jennifer De Pinto, CBS News, 24 Dec. 2025
At a time when Americans remain divided over hot button issues like artificial intelligence and policing, some say new technology is helping officers break down barriers and connect with their communities.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 30 Nov. 2025
Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch's ejection for his role in a postgame brawl during Sunday night's game in Kansas City has become a hot button topic for NFL and Lions fans ever since, with Lions players Alim McNeill and Dan Skipper expressing their anger in recent days.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Freedom of expression and issues of self-censorship were leitmotifs of this year’s Zurich Summit, with execs discussing attacks on cultural pluralism and as well as attitudes to hot button films.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot button
Cite this Entry
“Hot button.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20button. Accessed 4 Jan. 2026.
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