hotbed

noun

hot·​bed ˈhät-ˌbed How to pronounce hotbed (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The coastal community that’s been a hotbed of neo-Nazi activity for decades? Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025 Healthcare is already a hotbed of AI activity, which has more than proved its worth as a tool for diagnosing illness, monitoring recovery, and developing new medicines. Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025 The country clubs are hotbeds of anxiety, stirring up questions about who lost a job this month, whose bills are past due. Dwyer Murphy june 6, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025 Polsky and others organized demonstrations against the funding cuts this semester — unusual for faculty members, even at a hotbed of activism like Berkeley. Tyler Kingkade, NBC news, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for hotbed

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hotbed was in 1626

Cite this Entry

“Hotbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotbed. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

hotbed

noun
hot·​bed ˈhät-ˌbed How to pronounce hotbed (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on hotbed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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