hot seat

American  

noun

Slang.

1. electric chair.

2. a highly uncomfortable or embarrassing situation.

   I'm in the hot seat because of the contract I lost.

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hot seat British  

noun

1. informal a precarious, difficult, or dangerous position

2. a slang term for electric chair

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Etymology

Origin of hot seat

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Cue the violins, because after Jerome Powell’s swan song Fed rate meeting, it’s his final two weeks in the hot seat.

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

The last Bruins coach to survive that scenario was Ben Howland, who immediately entered the next season on the hot seat, his fate seemingly a fait accompli.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

Last year, in Oklahoma’s first campaign in the SEC, the Sooners went an underwhelming 6-7, placing Venables firmly on the hot seat.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025

A fortnight after the Gunners' surprise draw at Sunderland gave their Premier League title rivals new hope, Sunday's resounding win over Tottenham has put them firmly back in the hot seat.

From BBC • Nov. 23, 2025

I felt like I was in the hot seat, no pun intended.

From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez