Synonyms

hot water

American

noun

Informal.

trouble; a predicament.

His skipping classes will get him into real hot water when exam time comes.

hot water Idioms

Trouble or difficulty, as in She's deep in political hot water, or We got in hot water over the car deal, or He's finally paid his tuition and is out of hot water with the school. This metaphoric term alludes to water hot enough to burn one. [First half of 1500s] Also see in trouble with.

Etymology

Origin of hot water

First recorded in 1530–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

hot water

Powering on Backup generators or rooftop solar plus battery storage is essential for keeping the lights, hot water and refrigeration going regardless of what’s happening with the grid.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

There was no hot water in the hotel.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

This summer, news reports revealed that multiple sailors had attempted to jump overboard amid shortages of fresh food, disruptions to hot water and laundry services and exhaustion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

He said the strike had damaged a heating main, adding that there would be a temporary lack of hot water in the north-eastern Desnyanskyi district as a result.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

“But I’ll need hot water to steep them.”

From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023