hot water

American

noun

Informal.

trouble; a predicament.

His skipping classes will get him into real hot water when exam time comes.

hot water Idioms

Trouble or difficulty, as in She's deep in political hot water, or We got in hot water over the car deal, or He's finally paid his tuition and is out of hot water with the school. This metaphoric term alludes to water hot enough to burn one. [First half of 1500s] Also see in trouble with.

Etymology

Origin of hot water

First recorded in 1530–40

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.

See Examples For:

hot water

The major auto parts maker landed in hot water with authorities as young people in the country face a bleak job market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

Scientists from ECU's School of Engineering found that magnetite can release hydrogen gas when it reacts with hot water under conditions similar to those deep below the Earth's surface.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026

She says: "When you're in bed and your best friend is a hot water bottle - that's not normal."

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

But the purchase of a new oven landed her in hot water.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

You don’t want hot water, either, because it can cause your pharynx to swell slightly.

From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein

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