hot water
noun
: a difficult or dangerous situation : trouble entry 1 sense 4
—used with in or into
But this poor fellow was always getting into hot water, and if there was a wrong way of doing a thing, was sure to hit upon it.—
Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
Richard Henry Dana, Jr.In recent years, comedians have found themselves in hot water for making politically incorrect topics about everything from race to gender.—James Hohmann
James Hohmann
Examples of hot water in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Meanwhile, Crosby and Cochise County Supervisor Peggy Judd are in hot water in Maricopa County Superior Court.
—Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 1 Apr. 2024
This simple process typically involves boiling rice grains in hot water until the rice is tender.
—Sarah Garone, Health, 30 Mar. 2024
Failing to keep cool could land travelers in hot water.
—Marisa Garcia, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Sudden or prolonged immersion in hot water can elevate heart rate, causing cardiovascular stress depending on one’s condition.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 26 Mar. 2024
That meant, yet again, House Speaker Mike Johnson needed to rely on Democrats to get the bills across the finish line -- a move that landed his predecessor Kevin McCarthy in hot water and led to his ouster as speaker last year.
—Lauren Peller, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2024
However, her doctors dismissed the symptoms, telling her to drink hot water and honey.
—Simar Bajaj, NBC News, 7 Mar. 2024
Apple in hot water:What the DOJ lawsuit against Apple could mean for consumers
Why did Apple receive this lawsuit?
—The Enquirer, 22 Mar. 2024
Slowly pour in hot water, stirring until dressing is smooth and runny.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 1 Apr. 2024
This simple process typically involves boiling rice grains in hot water until the rice is tender.
—Sarah Garone, Health, 30 Mar. 2024
Failing to keep cool could land travelers in hot water.
—Marisa Garcia, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Sudden or prolonged immersion in hot water can elevate heart rate, causing cardiovascular stress depending on one’s condition.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 26 Mar. 2024
That meant, yet again, House Speaker Mike Johnson needed to rely on Democrats to get the bills across the finish line -- a move that landed his predecessor Kevin McCarthy in hot water and led to his ouster as speaker last year.
—Lauren Peller, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2024
However, her doctors dismissed the symptoms, telling her to drink hot water and honey.
—Simar Bajaj, NBC News, 7 Mar. 2024
Apple in hot water:What the DOJ lawsuit against Apple could mean for consumers
Why did Apple receive this lawsuit?
—The Enquirer, 22 Mar. 2024
Slowly pour in hot water, stirring until dressing is smooth and runny.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hot water.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1840, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near hot water
Cite this Entry
“Hot water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20water. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
hot water
noun
: a distressing situation : trouble
in hot water for not doing my chores
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