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Synonyms

white-hot

American  
[hwahyt-hot, wahyt-] / ˈʰwaɪtˈhɒt, ˈwaɪt- /

adjective

  1. extremely hot.

  2. showing white heat.

  3. exceedingly enthusiastic, ardent, angry, devoted, etc.; impassioned; perfervid.

    a fierce, white-hot loyalty to the king.


white-hot British  

adjective

  1. at such a high temperature that white light is emitted

  2. informal in a state of intense emotion

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of white-hot

First recorded in 1810–20

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.

In the white-hot AI race, a model that can help us navigate that medical complexity—and make sense of our growing pile of health data—could gain an edge.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Witches, demons and Satanism — anything occult — is white-hot lately.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

Minneapolis is no stranger to tragedy, or to the white-hot spotlight of international media attention, or to banding together in the face of a crisis.

From Slate • Feb. 11, 2026

Yet it could have been so different after Newcastle initially handled a white-hot atmosphere so well by gaining the upper hand.

From BBC • Nov. 25, 2025

Nyame, like a sun flare that leaped from spot to spot, sent iron monsters flying into the bay with blasts of white-hot energy.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

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