hot water

American  

noun

Informal.

1. trouble; a predicament.

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

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hot water Idioms  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of hot water

First recorded in 1530–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hot water

Add one tablespoon of herbs to about 8 to 12 ounces of hot water.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

A French teenager was fined in Singapore Thursday after pleading guilty to a public nuisance charge for a straw-licking stunt that landed him in hot water in the city state.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

Or skip the coffee and steep cinnamon stalks in hot water with lime.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

They also created extensive hydrothermal systems, hot water environments that may have provided the right conditions for life to emerge.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 2, 2026

“Just don’t wear it to costume parties. You could get your sweet ol’ Dad into all kinds of hot water if the wrong guy sees you walking around in it.”

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy