hotly

adverb

hot·​ly ˈhät-lē How to pronounce hotly (audio)
: in a hot manner
a hotly contested series

Examples of hotly in a Sentence

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.
Those results are hotly contested, however. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 22 May 2026 However, Putin’s intentions in issuing those comments have been hotly debated. Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 May 2026 Others who are hotly tipped to be in the running are British actors Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Harris Dickinson, and Australian star Jacob Elordi. Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 15 May 2026 Queen Bey was one of the last to arrive, and arguably the most hotly anticipated — after a decade away from the festivities. Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for hotly

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hotly was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hotly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotly. Accessed 24 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on hotly

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster