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.

France's main energy provider also shut down two nuclear reactors on Thursday as an environmental protection measure to avoid discharging too much hot water into already warming rivers.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

The veteran litigator found herself in hot water after her efforts to broker a detente between Cipriani and Shell spectacularly backfired.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

But one New Yorker's failure to endorse his home team has landed him in hot water with Knicks fans.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

Geochemical testing of the stromatolites revealed signs of both extraterrestrial material and nearby bedrock, along with evidence that the structures were altered by hot water.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

There was only one pillow left for Danny, and his hot water bottle was gone.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

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