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
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.
The equipment is then flushed clean with hot water to prepare for the next customer. New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2025 The chancellor is also in hot water given that her last budget included around £40 billion's worth of tax hikes with the burden largely falling on businesses and employers. Ian King, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025 Heavily soiled or infrequently washed items, like curtains, may also benefit from being washed in warm or hot water. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2025 The mop self-washes with hot water every cycle, not cold, and the Triple Lift system automatically lifts the mop off carpet so your rugs stay dry while hard floors get the full vacuum-plus-mop treatment in one run. PC Magazine, 4 Nov. 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 6 Nov. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!