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Synonyms

hot rod

1 American  

noun

Slang.

  1. an automobile specially built or altered for fast acceleration and increased speed.

hot-rod 2 American  
[hot-rod] / ˈhɒtˈrɒd /

verb (used without object)

hot-rodded, hot-rodding

  1. to drive a hot rod.

  2. to drive very fast.

verb (used with object)

hot-rodded, hot-rodding

  1. to drive (a vehicle) very fast.

  2. to adapt (a vehicle or its engine) for increased speed.

hot rod British  

noun

  1. a car with an engine that has been radically modified to produce increased power

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
hot rod Idioms  

  1. An automobile modified to increase its speed and acceleration, as in Kids love to tinker with cars and try to convert them into hot rods. [Mid-1900s] Also see hopped up.

Etymology

Origin of hot rod1

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Origin of hot-rod2

First recorded in 1945–50

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.

Songs such as Surfin' Safari, Surfin' USA, Fun, Fun, Fun, I Get Around, and Help Me Rhonda celebrated the teenage dreams of surfing, hot rod racing and first romance.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2025

“We had a good race car and what keeps me alive is driving this hot rod and all these fans,” Force said.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 2, 2024

You're like driving a Ferrari where I was used to driving a Toyota and all of a sudden you're in this hot rod.

From Salon • May 9, 2024

Ford Motor is joining rival General Motors in the U.S. supercar ranks with the launch of the 2025 Mustang GTD, a limited-edition, high-performance hot rod priced from $300,000.

From Reuters • Aug. 19, 2023

Bridget pleaded, leaning the hot rod on its kickstand.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

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.