1
: a bed of soil enclosed in glass, heated especially by fermenting manure, and used for forcing or for raising seedlings
2
: an environment that favors rapid growth or development
a hotbed of activity
Synonyms
Examples of hotbed in a Sentence
a hotbed of political unrest
prerevolutionary Boston was viewed as a hotbed of treason by the British
Recent Examples on the Web
The big picture: Cleveland has become a hotbed for major sporting events over the past decade, including the 2019 MLB All-Star Game, 2021 NFL draft and 2022 NBA All-Star Game and the NCAA Women's Final Four this past April.
—
Troy Smith, Axios, 11 July 2024
Some pro-Palestinian groups on Facebook have become a hotbed of antisemitism.
—Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 29 May 2024
While McElhenney and Reynolds may have the spotlight of Hollywood illuminating their foray into foreign football, European soccer leagues — particularly in the U.K. — have become hotbeds for American investments.
—Rafi Schwartz, theweek, 23 May 2024
University campuses have become hotbeds of controversy recently as pro-Palestinian students protest over the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization in the narrow Gaza Strip that started on Oct. 7 with an invasion by Hamas across the border into Israel.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for hotbed 
Troy Smith, Axios, 11 July 2024
Some pro-Palestinian groups on Facebook have become a hotbed of antisemitism.
—Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 29 May 2024
While McElhenney and Reynolds may have the spotlight of Hollywood illuminating their foray into foreign football, European soccer leagues — particularly in the U.K. — have become hotbeds for American investments.
—Rafi Schwartz, theweek, 23 May 2024
University campuses have become hotbeds of controversy recently as pro-Palestinian students protest over the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization in the narrow Gaza Strip that started on Oct. 7 with an invasion by Hamas across the border into Israel.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for hotbed
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hotbed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Hotbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotbed. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hotbed
noun
hot·bed
ˈhät-ˌbed 
1
: a heated bed of soil enclosed in glass and used for growing seedlings
2
: an environment that favors rapid growth or development
a hotbed of innovation
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