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 HohmannExamples of hot water in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
First, soak the husks in hot water for eight minutes.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2025
The traditional way of preparing it, whisking the powder together with hot water in a small bowl, also appeals to drinkers who want to slow down and be more intentional, Mills said.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
This also isn’t the first time the Times has been in legal hot water with the president.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 16 Sep. 2025
Certainly the hands had been red and solid-looking, Leonora remembered, through being steeped in hot water and disinfectant, perhaps.
—Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot water
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Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2025
The traditional way of preparing it, whisking the powder together with hot water in a small bowl, also appeals to drinkers who want to slow down and be more intentional, Mills said.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
This also isn’t the first time the Times has been in legal hot water with the president.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 16 Sep. 2025
Certainly the hands had been red and solid-looking, Leonora remembered, through being steeped in hot water and disinfectant, perhaps.
—Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot water
Cite this Entry
“Hot water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20water. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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