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

Oh dear—wildlife has allegedly landed one woman in hot water with her landlord. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025

Drinking alcohol in the wrong place can now land you not only in hot water with the authorities but also with a fine. —Duncan Madden, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

For most sheets and towels, warm or hot water is best. —Megan Schaltegger, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Aug. 2025

Sacramento cafe closed due to unsafe food, lack of hot water Bella Bru Cafe, 4680 Natomas Blvd., Suite 100, in Sacramento, had 10 major food safety violations on Thursday, July 10. —Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2025

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