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

Filling a pothole matters to the person who drives over it every day, but repeatedly filling the same hole without addressing the underlying street condition is not an effective use of taxpayer dollars. — Vince Fattore, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026

Combined with larger pneumatic tires and dedicated suspension systems, mid-range dual-motor scooters smooth out potholes and cracked pavement for a far more comfortable ride. — New Atlas, 22 Sep. 2026

That led to a surge in pothole requests from mid-April to the end of May, Muhs said. — Alison Dirr, jsonline.com, 20 Sep. 2026

She also got blasted on Fox News this week for a recent video of the mayor’s office being unable to fix a pothole. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 21 Aug. 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)