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
Miami has become a hotbed for transfers.
—
Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Combining big city and big fish excitement, Cleveland can be a hotbed for ice fishing from early January to early March, depending on the weather.
—Robert Annis, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026
Paradise Bay, in Turkey’s Bodrum Peninsula, is a hotbed of exciting new five-star openings.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
With some of the young players emerging, perhaps that can change in the coming years, even if Norway never has as many stars as other hockey hotbeds.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hotbed
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Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Combining big city and big fish excitement, Cleveland can be a hotbed for ice fishing from early January to early March, depending on the weather.
—Robert Annis, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026
Paradise Bay, in Turkey’s Bodrum Peninsula, is a hotbed of exciting new five-star openings.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
With some of the young players emerging, perhaps that can change in the coming years, even if Norway never has as many stars as other hockey hotbeds.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hotbed
Cite this Entry
“Hotbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotbed. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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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