burning question

Idioms

An urgent or crucial issue under heated discussion. For example, Real estate taxes are always a burning question for the town leaders. This term has exact equivalents in French (question brûlante) and German (brennende Frage). [Mid-1800s]

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.

Travelers hunt for regional souvenirs, soothe their homesickness and investigate a burning question: Is the hot dog different?

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

A burning question now is, when will the court rule?

From MarketWatch • Dec. 15, 2025

Everyone, from regular Koreans to world leaders, was left with the same burning question:

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2025

For conservationists, the ferocious Franklin fire and other recent blazes raise a burning question: Is it possible to break this feedback loop and turn the clock back on an increasingly flammable ecosystem?

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2024

After the clock repeated, “TEN TWIN-TEE-EIGHT PEE EM,” Genie asked another burning question.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023