in heat

Idioms  

1. In a state of sexual excitement immediately preceding ovulation. For example, Our cat's in heat so we have to keep her inside. This expression applies to most female mammals and indicates the period when the animal is fertile and most receptive to mating. [Mid-1700s]

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in heat

Great Britain's Georgia Hunter Bell finished first in heat two of the women's 1500m to qualify for Sunday's final.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

By combining thermal conductivity measurements with neutron scattering data, the team was able to directly connect the dramatic increase in heat flow to changes in the atomic vibrations inside the crystal.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026

“We’re moving into a world where we’re going to have shelter-in-place orders in heat waves, and we won’t be able to do outdoor work like garbage collection,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026

"It is worrying, because it's ... very hard watching older people in heat, like suffering a lot," said Renata Stankeviciute, 43, a Lithuanian chef living in London.

From Barron's ● May 26, 2026

“Her mom invented this recyclable paper coffee cup that holds in heat but keeps the outside from burning your hand.”

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson