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

Dissolves in hot water and forms a gel upon cooling. — Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 26 June 2026

Submerge the filter in a bowl filled with hot water and a spoonful of dish soap or laundry detergent. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 June 2026

Why scientists are paying close attention Hydrothermal explosions occur when pressurized hot water trapped underground suddenly flashes into steam. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 24 June 2026

Even so, around 40% of the energy consumed in the European Union (EU) is used in buildings, mostly for heating, cooling and hot water. — Amy Gunia, CNN Money, 24 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