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.
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
James HohmannExamples of hot water in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Just add a spoonful to a mug and pour hot water over.
—Amy Sherman, Martha Stewart, 8 Jan. 2026
Scientists believe Europa's seafloor is likely tectonically quiet, without active volcanoes or hot water plumes.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Remove the drip pans and submerge them in a sink of hot water and dish soap to soak.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 8 Jan. 2026
The building lacked heat, hot water and working fire alarms.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hot water
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Amy Sherman, Martha Stewart, 8 Jan. 2026
Scientists believe Europa's seafloor is likely tectonically quiet, without active volcanoes or hot water plumes.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Remove the drip pans and submerge them in a sink of hot water and dish soap to soak.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 8 Jan. 2026
The building lacked heat, hot water and working fire alarms.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hot water
Cite this Entry
“Hot water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20water. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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