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.

---

hot seat British  

noun

1. informal a precarious, difficult, or dangerous position

2. a slang term for electric chair

---

Etymology

Origin of hot seat

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

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

Judging by the noise coming out of Hollywood, whoever ends up in the hot seat ought to be relieved not to be caught up in the Warner takeover battle.

From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025

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

OpenAI’s new short-form video app is putting Meta Platforms Inc. in the hot seat.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 13, 2025

“Styx has been to the Children’s Museum ten times,” I reported, hoping to get him off the hot seat.

From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon