hotbed

noun

hot·​bed ˈhät-ˌbed 

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

• center
• mecca
• nest

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

Our story reported that one country was a hotbed of risky selfies. —Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 31 Aug. 2025

Illinois has long been a hotbed of labor union activism dating back to the 1880s. —Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025

One such label includes Seventh Avenue Brand, which is based in New Orleans, Louisiana, one of the nation’s formative hotbeds of creativity. —Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 26 Aug. 2025

The draw will be the highlight of the tournament for an area of the country that is one of the hotbeds for soccer in the US. —Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hotbed

• abed
• ahead
• beachhead
• bedspread
• bedstead
• behead
• blackhead
• blockhead
• bloodshed
• bowhead
• breastfed
• bridgehead

Kids 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