hot water

noun

Synonyms of hot waternext
: 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
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.
Two years ago, the franchise found itself in hot water again when news surfaced that Season 21 contestant Devin Strader was arrested for burglarizing an ex-girlfriend’s Louisiana home in 2017. Peter White, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026 Warm a glass with hot water, dump the water, and turn the cup upside down over the butter, leaving it for a couple of minutes. Cody Godwin, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026 That puts him in some hot water with Cecil (Walton Goggins), who’s also dealing with Conquest’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) escape from his underground bunker. Jordan Moreau, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026 Its hot water wash dissolves stubborn grease on the mop pads, while its specialized Curv design prevents long hair from tangling around the brushes. Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hot water

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hot water was in 1840

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hot water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20water. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

hot water

noun
: a distressing situation : trouble
in hot water for not doing my chores

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