hot potato
noun
: a controversial question or issue that involves unpleasant or dangerous consequences for anyone dealing with it
Examples of hot potato in a Sentence
He tried to avoid taking a strong stand on political hot potatoes like abortion.
Recent Examples on the Web
Not helping matters is the fact that, despite being arguably the most consequential children’s show in history, Sesame Street has spent this past year being passed around like a hot potato by different streaming partners.
—
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 11 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, Team Trump is passing around blame like a hot potato: to Hamas, the UN, French President Emmanuel Macron — anyone but themselves, or their proxy, Israel.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 30 July 2025
Pritzker already tossed an $80 million hot potato in Chicago’s lap with his 2023 initiative to phase out the state’s 1% tax on groceries, the proceeds of which had been distributed to municipalities.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2025
In many cases, responsibility for orphan wells gets passed along like a hot potato.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot potato
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Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 11 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, Team Trump is passing around blame like a hot potato: to Hamas, the UN, French President Emmanuel Macron — anyone but themselves, or their proxy, Israel.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 30 July 2025
Pritzker already tossed an $80 million hot potato in Chicago’s lap with his 2023 initiative to phase out the state’s 1% tax on groceries, the proceeds of which had been distributed to municipalities.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2025
In many cases, responsibility for orphan wells gets passed along like a hot potato.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot potato
Cite this Entry
“Hot potato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20potato. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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