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.
In recent years, comedians have found themselves in hot water for making politically incorrect topics about everything from race to gender.James Hohmann

Examples of hot water in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The lake is 454 feet long, 137 feet wide, 1,131 feet around and holds more than 2 million gallons of hot water, researchers said. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 18 Feb. 2025 Between the lines: Ticketmaster and other ticket sellers have often found themselves in hot water for inflated pricing, botched ticket releases and junk fees. Paige Hopkins, Axios, 14 Feb. 2025 Slice a small piece of fresh ginger, steep it in hot water for a few minutes, and strain before drinking. Johna Burdeos, Health, 10 Feb. 2025 Just steep a half a cup of rosebuds in hot water for a few minutes, strain, and add sugar. Patrice J. Williams, Essence, 10 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for hot water 

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hot water was in 1840

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 22 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

hot water

noun
: a distressing situation : trouble
in hot water for not doing my chores

More from Merriam-Webster on hot water

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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