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

From potholes to questions about Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the city, a small crowd of Valparaiso residents attended the mid-term town hall held by Valparaiso City Council Members Robert Cotton, D-2nd, and Barbara Domer, D-3rd, Saturday afternoon. —Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026

Pesky potholes on Mound Road in Warren have been an issue for many drivers. —Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026

Nobody needs Beijing to fabricate footage of American potholes, ER bills, or decaying Amtrak cars. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026

The pipe was discovered in February after a resident reported it through the city’s online portal that allows people to flag potholes, streetlights that are out, and other infrastructure issues, Huntington said. —Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for pothole

• bankroll
• bedroll
• borehole
• cajole
• catchpole
• charcoal
• condole
• control
• dipole
• downhole
• enroll
• extol

Kids Definition

pothole

noun

pot·​hole ˈpät-ˌhōl 

: a deep round hole (as in a road)