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

Sacramento County Health Inspectors gave four Sacramento-area facilities red placards for health food violations including finding 38 German cockroaches and a lack of hot water. —Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado june 19, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026

Activewear brand Lululemon is in hot water in China after a promotional event held on the Great Wall appeared to mistakenly feature a Japanese drum – setting off an online furor. —Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 17 June 2026

Moutet had different plans, and unleashed a flurry of foul language that is sure to land him in some hot water. —Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026

After the time has passed, flush the drain with hot water from the faucet for 30-40 minutes. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 16 June 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