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.
Fill a bowl or the sink with warm or hot water and about a tablespoon of dish soap, suggests Stein. Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2025 Hot Lemon Water Hot lemon water is made from hot water and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 15 Dec. 2025 Wash the items with detergent and hot water at the longest laundry cycle, then dry them on high heat, the CDC said. Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 15 Dec. 2025 In addition to careful handwashing, clothing should be washed in hot water, and all surfaces touched by anyone with symptoms need to be disinfected. Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025 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 19 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

hot water

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

More from Merriam-Webster on hot water

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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