as in popularity
the state of enjoying widespread approval
the phenomenal hotness of the movie's stars is the driving force behind all of the advance publicity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of hotness
In 2026, complexity is old and busted, and simplified zonal systems are the new hotness.
—
Byron Hurd, The Drive, 19 Feb. 2026
Natalie Erika James throws a bunch of great ideas into her fem-horror riff on body dysmorphia, shame and the tireless quest for physical perfection in a culture obsessed with youthful hotness — following in the path of The Substance and Ryan Murphy’s latest dollop of high-gloss trash, The Beauty.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
At the center of the fun is a drug called the Beauty, which can transform the ugliest duckling into the loveliest swan but after a while develops the unfortunate side effect described above, making hotness literal.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Exploration isn’t always easy, after all, in a culture that expects women to fit conventional notions of hotness—and to please everyone else.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
Such hotness is in the eye of the beholder.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 14 Jan. 2026
But hotness isn’t only aesthetics.
—Caroline Rothstein, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
Duplenticy’s tattoo serves a similar function, signaling both his hotness and his capacity for change.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
The result isn’t always an easier character for the actor to pull off, but removing the Hollywood hotness factor provides an opportunity for at-home audiences to fully immerse themselves in the story.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2025
Byron Hurd, The Drive, 19 Feb. 2026
Natalie Erika James throws a bunch of great ideas into her fem-horror riff on body dysmorphia, shame and the tireless quest for physical perfection in a culture obsessed with youthful hotness — following in the path of The Substance and Ryan Murphy’s latest dollop of high-gloss trash, The Beauty.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
At the center of the fun is a drug called the Beauty, which can transform the ugliest duckling into the loveliest swan but after a while develops the unfortunate side effect described above, making hotness literal.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Exploration isn’t always easy, after all, in a culture that expects women to fit conventional notions of hotness—and to please everyone else.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
Such hotness is in the eye of the beholder.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 14 Jan. 2026
But hotness isn’t only aesthetics.
—Caroline Rothstein, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
Duplenticy’s tattoo serves a similar function, signaling both his hotness and his capacity for change.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
The result isn’t always an easier character for the actor to pull off, but removing the Hollywood hotness factor provides an opportunity for at-home audiences to fully immerse themselves in the story.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hotness
Noun
-
The popularity of Bar Panisse perhaps dispels one fear the restaurateurs might’ve had – that the place would be shunned by the community, after Waters terminated the lease of longtime tapas restaurant Cesar to make space for her new endeavor.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
9 Mar. 2026
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Flynn said the company’s focus on customer interaction has helped drive the chain’s popularity, particularly among younger customers.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That jacket’s colorful nickname, and its eye-watering valuation, trace back to a subculture that placed premiums on certain Polo collections long before the present vogue.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
1 Mar. 2026
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Perhaps its incorporation of vogue ideas dazzles critics who might otherwise discern its awfulness (Amazon’s Transparent).—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Husted was Ohio's lieutenant governor-elect in early 2019, when prosecutors claim Jones and Dowling bribed the late Randazzo in exchange for legislative and regulatory favors.—
JULIE CARR SMYTH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
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Parente couldn’t believe the judge had ruled so overwhelmingly in his client’s favor.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hotness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hotness. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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