pothole
Americannoun
-
geography
-
a deep hole in limestone areas resulting from action by running water See also sinkhole
-
a circular hole in the bed of a river produced by abrasion
-
-
a deep hole, esp one produced in a road surface by wear or weathering
Etymology
Origin of pothole
Explanation
A pothole is a hole or little pit in a road. Drivers complain about potholes frequently. If you've ever felt a little bump while in a car, you probably hit a pothole: a little hole in the street caused by wear and tear. Newly paved roads are smooth and have no potholes, but potholes develop over time. Drivers hate potholes because the little bump is startling, and a big pothole could actually damage a car. Eventually, potholes are usually filled in when a road gets paved. Potholes are also called chuckholes.
Vocabulary lists containing pothole
Look Both Ways
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Circuit
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
As Brave as You
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Scottish councils paid out more than £2m in pothole compensation over the past five years, a BBC investigation has found.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
They agreed to pay half a cent more at the cash register to fund buses, trains and pothole fillings in 2016.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
Voters settled control of roughly 40% of the local governments across England that handle trash collection, pothole filling, low-income housing and various other day-to-day administrative functions.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
The Conservatives have spoken about wanting to establish a "national pothole patrol", which involves deploying specialist repair units using "the most effective technology on the market".
From BBC • May 4, 2026
The radio had stopped working consistently a year earlier; it would come to life only if I hit a pothole or stopped suddenly enough to violently shake the car and spark a connection.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
