First recorded in 1985–90
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Instead of the large-studio presence, this year’s festival offered an intriguing mix of provocative films from around the globe, featuring hot button issues, occasional movie stars and artistic flourishes.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
"It's a hot button issue in a way that it may not have been six months previously," says Rodger Shanahan, a Middle East expert at the Lowy Institute.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
But while the show was, indeed, partly inspired by a hot button cultural moment, it’s not a fantasy one.
From New York Times • Nov. 8, 2023
“Anyone who does political material is very brave. It’s a hot button thing. Brent is hitting it and hitting it. It riles people up and makes them watch. It’s a lot smarter than people think.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 18, 2023
A central theme has been the role of women in church governance, but other hot button issues are also on the agenda, including acceptance for LGBTQ+ Catholics and priestly celibacy.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 16, 2023
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.
