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
Examples of pothole in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Under Mahan’s tenure, the city’s vehicles have been outfitted with pothole-detecting cameras and its employees use AI to win multimillion-dollar grants.
—
Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Drivers who encounter potholes can call the TDOT hotline at 833-836-8349.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Sep. 2025
Although India's road infrastructure has improved, traffic discipline - like lane driving - is still rudimentary, EV chargers are far and few, stray animals, including cattle, and potholes on the road are a big hurdle, even in cities.
—Nilutpal Timsina, Reuters, 2 Sep. 2025
The previous Flying Spur was no spine smasher, but the PHEV effortlessly glides over potholes and drain covers, something some manufacturers struggle to achieve after adding motors and batteries.
—Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pothole
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Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Drivers who encounter potholes can call the TDOT hotline at 833-836-8349.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Sep. 2025
Although India's road infrastructure has improved, traffic discipline - like lane driving - is still rudimentary, EV chargers are far and few, stray animals, including cattle, and potholes on the road are a big hurdle, even in cities.
—Nilutpal Timsina, Reuters, 2 Sep. 2025
The previous Flying Spur was no spine smasher, but the PHEV effortlessly glides over potholes and drain covers, something some manufacturers struggle to achieve after adding motors and batteries.
—Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pothole
Cite this Entry
“Pothole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pothole. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pothole
noun
pot·hole
ˈpät-ˌhōl 
: a deep round hole (as in a road)
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