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 of hotbed

• 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

It’s been a long while since Washington Avenue was a glamorous hotbed of South Beach dining, clubbing and live music. — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026

But with the introduction of AI in the last few years and its implications for booking, payments, commissions and customer-management systems it’s made travel a hotbed of competition–fertile ground for modernization and investment. — Jacques Ledbetter, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Some have theorized that the area is a hotbed of alien activity, positing that these extraterrestrial beings are abducting humans for study. — Andrea Romano, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2026

As the train pulls into Srinagar, Kashmir’s capital and a hotbed of the 2019 unrest, Abdul Rasheed Mir is waiting for a local train to his hometown of Qazigund. — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 8 July 2026

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