pothole

play

noun pot·hole \ ˈpät-ˌhōl \

Definition of pothole

1 a :a circular hole formed in the rocky bed of a river by the grinding action of stones or gravel whirled round by the water

b :a sizable rounded often water-filled depression in land

2 :a pot-shaped hole in a road surface

3 :a usually minor difficulty or setback

hit a pothole in her comeback attempt

—

potholed

play \-ˌhōld\ adjective

See pothole defined for English-language learners

See pothole defined for kids

Recent Examples of pothole from the Web

The road was reportedly filled with potholes in the past, with United players frequently having to curve through the difficult pathway in order to avoid damaging their cars' expensive alloys.

— SI.com, "Man Utd Resurface Private Road Leading to Training Ground to Stop Stars Damaging Their Luxury Cars," 29 Aug. 2017
Or blown tires, weird birds, sinkhole-sized potholes, general craziness.

— alexis c. madrigal, The Atlantic, "Inside Waymo's Secret World for Training Self-Driving Cars," 23 Aug. 2017
Cracks and potholes will be paved over on the three 11-foot-wide lanes in each direction.

— wayne k. roustan, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Broward Boulevard overhaul: Here's what to expect," 19 Aug. 2017
Streets are pockmarked with potholes and sinkholes.

— michael kunzelman, The Seattle Times, "Emergency declared in New Orleans as flood threat looms," 10 Aug. 2017
In the middle is the Super Series, cars that may be street-legal but are typically kept at a private track, where drivers needn't worry about potholes or police.

— jamie butters, Bloomberg.com, "Live That McLaren Life for $2,500 a Month," 10 Aug. 2017
A citizen’s text about a pothole, for example, could be considered equivalent to a citizen complaint, says Kara Millonzi, an associate professor of public law and government at the University of North Carolina.

— anna douglas and caroline metzler, charlotteobserver, "Town official calls neighbors ‘loud mouths.’ Then he learned his text was public record.," 3 Aug. 2017
Rappaport explained that curb cuts are rarely well-maintained, and wheelchairs have trouble navigating potholes or construction along their routes.

— philip devoe, National Review, "Suing Uber Won’t Solve Disabled Americans’ Transportation Problems," 25 July 2017
Watch for frost heaves, potholes (especially during or after a rain), and slippery mud.

— erin kirkland, Alaska Dispatch News, "A road less traveled: Driving to McCarthy with kids," 18 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pothole.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of pothole

1826

POTHOLE Defined for English Language Learners

pothole

play

noun

Definition of pothole for English Language Learners

: a deep, round hole in a road or some other surface (such as the bottom of a river)

POTHOLE Defined for Kids

pothole

play

noun pot·hole \ ˈpät-ˌhōl \

Definition of pothole for Students

:a deep round hole (as in a road)

Learn More about pothole

Spanish Central: Translation of pothole Nglish: Translation of pothole for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pothole

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potholed

Recent Examples of pothole from the Web

First Known Use of pothole

POTHOLE Defined for English Language Learners

pothole

Definition of pothole for English Language Learners

POTHOLE Defined for Kids

pothole

Definition of pothole for Students

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