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

Bissell has received 206 reports of hot water or steam unexpectedly escaping from the steam cleaners’ attachments, including 161 reports of burn injuries, with at least one report of a second-degree burn. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 10 Apr. 2026

If the clothes require washing first, hot water is recommended. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026

So did equine veterinarian Nicky Wessel, who brought Troy hay, medicine and hot water all day via boat dressed in a special suit to prevent hypothermia. —Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026

My favorite camping comfort item is a hot water bottle. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 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