First recorded in 1985–90
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The committee’s decision to hold back on council expansion and other hot-button issues came after the chief legislative analyst office recommended that the measures be studied further, with council expansion going before voters in 2028.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
On the hot-button topic of the impact of artificial intelligence, he’s worried about it when combined with some troubling market mechanics.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 18, 2026
A chatbot collected opinions on hot-button political topics from people in the U.K. and aggregated users’ responses into a group statement that emphasized common ground.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 15, 2026
Naturally, the couple segues into another disagreement, arguing about where to spend their upcoming vacation — a hot-button issue, since Joan’s cancer treatments are no longer working and time is suddenly precious.
From Salon ● Nov. 27, 2025
Before he started his four-year term, Tik vowed to get fellow lawmakers to debate the hot-button issue of universal suffrage to elect Hong Kong's leader.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2025
Instead of the large-studio presence, this year’s festival offered an intriguing mix of provocative films from around the globe, featuring hot button issues, occasional movie stars and artistic flourishes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026
She is a staunch conservative, but she speaks with nuance on hot button issues like abortion and immigration, and is less eager to wade into the country's culture wars.
From BBC ● Jan. 11, 2024
But while the show was, indeed, partly inspired by a hot button cultural moment, it’s not a fantasy one.
From New York Times ● Nov. 8, 2023
“Anyone who does political material is very brave. It’s a hot button thing. Brent is hitting it and hitting it. It riles people up and makes them watch. It’s a lot smarter than people think.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2023
A central theme has been the role of women in church governance, but other hot button issues are also on the agenda, including acceptance for LGBTQ+ Catholics and priestly celibacy.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 16, 2023
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
