pothole

noun

pot·​hole ˈpät-ˌhōl 

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

ˈpät-ˌhōld 

adjective

Examples of pothole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If the ancient Romans could build something so long-lasting, why on earth do our modern roads have so many potholes? —Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023

Residents had spotted him on Sunday afternoons filling potholes by himself. —Colbi Edmonds, New York Times, 12 Nov. 2023

Wrapping up a trip to Israel on Wednesday, Biden told reporters that up to 20 trucks of aid from Egypt would be allowed into the enclave through the Rafah crossing once potholes along the road and damage from Israeli airstrikes had been repaired. —Miriam Berger, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2023

Some scooter injuries involved car accidents, while others came after riders hit potholes or uneven ground. —Aria Bendix, NBC News, 20 Oct. 2023

Navigating the myriad potholes would require money, an uncommon mastery of deal-making and a rabbit to pair with a hat. —Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Sep. 2023

This combination of strength and energy generation could be used in several types of wearables and Internet of Things applications, including infrastructure systems to reinforce bridges and highways that sense when a crack, pothole, or other damage appears, Yu says. —IEEE Spectrum, 1 Nov. 2023

If vehicles driven on certain routes or roads show consistent patterns of damage, Amazon might let a city know that trees need cutting or potholes fixing, for example. —WIRED, 24 Oct. 2023

Ride quality is smooth and comfortable, with both suspension setups sopping up all but the worst potholes. —Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 8 Sep. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

pothole

noun

pot·​hole ˈpät-ˌhōl 

: a deep round hole (as in a road)