hotter; hottest
1
a
: having a relatively high temperature
hot and humid weather
serving hot meals to the poor
b
: capable of giving a sensation of heat or of burning, searing, or scalding
working outside in the hot sun
fried in hot oil
c
: having heat in a degree exceeding normal body heat
Your forehead feels hot.
2
b(1)
: sexually excited or receptive
It's obvious he's hot for her.
(2)
: sexy
That guy she's dating is really hot.
d
of jazz
: emotionally exciting and marked by strong rhythms and free melodic improvisations
3
: having or causing the sensation of an uncomfortable degree of body heat
hot and tired
it's hot in here
4
a
: newly made : fresh
a hot scent
bread hot from the oven
hot off the press
b
: close to something sought
hot on the trail
5
a
: suggestive of heat or of burning or glowing objects : very bright
hot colors
hot pink
b
of food
: having a component (such as capsaicin) that creates a burning or tingling sensation in the mouth : pungent, peppery
hot mustard
the hottest chili I've ever tasted
see also hot pepper, hot sauce
6
a
: of intense and immediate interest
some hot gossip
b
: unusually lucky or favorable
on a hot streak
c
: temporarily capable of unusual performance (as in a sport)
d
: currently popular or in demand
She's become one of Hollywood's hottest commodities.
a hot item in stores this year
e
: very good
a hot idea
not feeling too hot
f
: absurd, unbelievable
wants to fight the champ? that's a hot one
7
a
: electrically energized especially with high voltage
That wire is hot.
b
: radioactive
hot material
also
: dealing with radioactive material
a hot laboratory
c
of an atom or molecule
: being in an excited state
8
a
: recently and illegally obtained
hot jewels
admitted that the car was hot
b
: wanted by the police
also
: unsafe for a fugitive
made the town too hot for them
9
: fast
a hot new fighter plane
a hot lap around the track
hotness
noun
1
: a period of relatively high temperature : a period of heat
during the hot of the day
2
: one that is hot (such as a hot meal or a horse just after a workout)
3
hots plural
: strong sexual desire
—used with the
has got the hots for the new guy in the office
hotted; hotting; hots
chiefly Southern US, south Midland US, and British
: heat, warm
He took her up her supper, saying, "I've hotted the soup, and I found the chicken."—
Mrs. Henry Dudeney (Alice Louisa Dudenay)
—usually used with upMrs. Henry Dudeney (Alice Louisa Dudenay)hotted up the kettle
… he was sitting by the fire hotting up some of his cider in a saucepan; this he was taking with rosemary to cure his cold.—Fred Archer
see also hot up
Fred ArcherExamples of hot in a Sentence
Adjective
It is hot in the summer and cold in the winter.
The baked potatoes were too hot to handle with our bare hands.
We worked all afternoon in the hot sun.
The chicken was fried in hot oil.
Your forehead feels hot. I think you might have a fever.
I was feeling hot and tired.
a selection of hot beverages
The new toys are so hot that stores can't keep them in stock.
Her new book is a hot seller.
She spoke about the latest hot trends in the computer industry.
Adverb
workers were working hot and heavy to repair the breach in the levee
Noun
It was obvious that they had the hots for each other and their friendship was about to become something more.
Verb
with a silky Southern drawl, the waitress asked, "Want me to hot up that pie?"
Recent Examples on the Web
Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
This is a true Mediterranean climate, with hot, sunny summers and mild winters.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2025
Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2025
If Clark Lea's team can't pull off the upset, then Kalen DeBoer, who had been hot-seated a few weeks prior, suddenly has 2025's best one-loss resume by far, with two wins over top-20 teams that have otherwise not lost.
—Jason Kirk, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
The Denver Post, Denver Post, 1 Aug. 2025
It’s been a warm summer in the Metroplex, but not triple-digit hot.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 July 2025
Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 29 Aug. 2025
Davis describes the crowd to be a mix of families with children, Bank of America executives grabbing lunch and bikers hot off a good ride.
—Samantha Husted, Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Sun shrinking and getting hotter; everything bilious, oxygenless, not great for living.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
This is a true Mediterranean climate, with hot, sunny summers and mild winters.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2025
Adverb
That features signature touches including its cherry motif hot-stamped in gold, alongside an emblem with two hearts symbolizing the bond between parent and child.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2025
If Clark Lea's team can't pull off the upset, then Kalen DeBoer, who had been hot-seated a few weeks prior, suddenly has 2025's best one-loss resume by far, with two wins over top-20 teams that have otherwise not lost.
—Jason Kirk, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
Go easy when bringing on the heat because their hot is very, very hot.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 1 Aug. 2025
It’s been a warm summer in the Metroplex, but not triple-digit hot.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 July 2025
Verb
The Boise River float season comes to a close on Labor Day weekend, and recreationists will hot weather and a good river flow.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 29 Aug. 2025
Davis describes the crowd to be a mix of families with children, Bank of America executives grabbing lunch and bikers hot off a good ride.
—Samantha Husted, Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot
Video
Hot Mess
Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings
Cite this Entry
“Hot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
hot
adjective
hotter; hottest
1
a
: having a relatively high temperature
b
: capable of giving a sensation of heat or of burning, searing, or scalding
c
: having heat in a degree exceeding normal body heat
2
a
: radioactive
especially
: exhibiting a relatively great amount of radioactivity when subjected to radionuclide scanning
b
: dealing with radioactive material
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