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.
But toward the end of the game, Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels got into some hot water for a hard foul on the Thunder star. Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025 Even tea and coffee bags release microplastics when immersed in hot water. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 21 May 2025 Rice papers Vegetables, such as carrots or scallions Spices of your choice Soak the rice paper in hot water, then roll in the tuna and seasoned vegetables. Merve Ceylan, Health, 21 May 2025 Rinse the can opener well with hot water after washing, and dry it immediately with a clean dish towel. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 May 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 30 May. 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

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