hot

SayHOT/hɑt//hɒt/

31 meanings of hot

1
with great heatadjective
Having a high temperature, or giving off a lot of heat.
Like a stove burner that can burn your hand.
The soup is too hot to eat right now.
Be careful, because the stove gets very hot.
UsageHotter than warm. Write hotter, hottest (not ~~incorrect: hoter~~).
Similarheated
Oppositecold, chilled
Note
2
popularadjective
Very popular and wanted by a lot of people right now.
Like a toy that every kid wants for their birthday.
These sneakers are super hot this season.
That phone is so hot it sold out everywhere.
UsageSay the hottest thing this year.
Similarpopular, trendy, fashionable, sought-after, hip
Oppositeunpopular, unfashionable
3
adjectivecolloquialfiguratively
Very attractive and good-looking.
Everyone thinks the new actor is really hot.
She looked hot in that red dress.
UsageUsed about people (she's hot); avoid at work or in formal situations.
Similarattractive, appealing, desirable, alluring, captivating
Oppositeunattractive, ugly, plain, homely
4
adjective
Tasting of strong spices that make your mouth feel like it is burning.
Like the burning feeling on your tongue after eating a chili pepper.
This curry is too hot for me.
Add chili if you like your food hot.
UsageThe opposite is mild, not cold.
Similarspicy, fiery, peppery, piquant
Oppositemild, bland
Note
5
much debatedadjective
Talked about a lot right now because it is important or causes arguments.
Climate change is a hot topic in the news.
Screen time is a hot issue in our house.
UsageSay a hot topic.
Similarcontroversial, topical, contentious, burning
Oppositeuncontroversial
Note
6
sexualadjectivecolloquialfiguratively
Involving strong sexual feelings or passion.
The movie had a few hot scenes near the end.
They shared a hot kiss as the credits rolled.
Oppositechaste, tame
7
excellentadjectivecolloquial
Very good, exciting, or impressive.
The band gave a hot performance that got everyone dancing.
His new bike trick was really hot.
Similargreat, brilliant, terrific, sensational, exciting
Oppositedull, boring, mediocre
8
electrically liveadjective
Switched on, live or ready to use, or carrying electricity.
Like a wire that can zap you if you touch it.
Do not touch that wire, because it is hot.
The electrician warned us the cable was still hot.
Similarlive, active, energized, charged
Oppositedead
Note
9
doing welladjective
Doing very well, with one success after another.
Like a player who scores every time they shoot.
The team is hot and has won five games in a row.
She's hot right now, scoring in every match.
UsageSay you're hot tonight.
Similarunstoppable, prolific, successful
Oppositecold
Note

Less common meanings

10
adjective
Feeling too warm, or having a high body temperature because you are ill.
Like how you feel wearing a thick coat on a sunny day.
I feel hot after running around outside.
She was hot and tired in the crowded room.
UsageSay I'm hot (not ~~incorrect: I have hot~~).
Similarwarm, overheated, feverish
Oppositecold, cool, chilly
Note
11
tense (situation)adjective
Hard or dangerous to deal with, and full of trouble.
When the town found out what he did, things got too hot for him to stay.
When his boss found the big mistake, things got hot for Tom.
UsageSay things got too hot for him.
Similardangerous, uncomfortable, difficult, unpleasant, tough
Oppositesafe, comfortable, easy
Note
12
adjective
Full of strong feelings, hard competition, or a lot of energetic action.
Two officers were in hot pursuit of the robber.
Competition for the last place on the team was hot this year.
UsageSay the fighting grew hot.
Similarfierce, intense, heated, furious
13
adjective
Very close to finding or guessing the right answer.
You're getting hot, the toy is near the window!
Keep looking, you're really hot now.
UsageSay hot on the trail.
Similarwarm, close
Oppositecold
Note
14
wanting someoneadjectiveslangfiguratively
Feeling strong sexual desire, or wanting someone or something very much.
She's hot for the new guy at work.
He's been hot for that car since the day he saw it.
UsageUse hot for before a person or thing: hot for him, hot for that rare book.
Similareager, keen
Note
15
just outadjective
Brand new and just made available.
Like bread that just came out of the oven.
The news is hot off the press this morning.
The first copies of her book are hot off the press.
UsageSay hot off the press.
Similarfresh, new, latest
Oppositestale, old
16
bright coloradjective
Used about a color that is very bright and strong and easy to notice.
Her backpack is a hot pink you can see from across the playground.
The new sign is painted a hot yellow so drivers will notice it.
UsageSay hot pink.
Similarbright, vivid
Oppositepale, muted
17
stolenadjectiveslang
Stolen, and risky to keep, buy, or sell.
Like holding onto something that isn't yours: keeping it can get you in trouble.
The watch he was selling turned out to be hot, so nobody would buy it.
She didn't know the bike was hot when she got it so cheap.
UsageOften used in hot goods or hot merchandise.
Similarstolen, nicked
Note
18
quick to angeradjectivefiguratively
Quick to get angry and easily upset.
Like a match that lights up the moment you strike it.
He has a hot temper and shouts a lot.
Her hot temper made her hard to work with.
UsageSay a hot temper.
Similarfiery, quick, volatile, fierce, explosive
Oppositeeven, calm, placid, mild
Note
19
very fastadjectiveslang
Moving very fast, or built to run at high speed.
Like a race car that zooms past everything else.
The runners set a hot pace, and many could not keep up.
That hot little car can pass anything on the highway.
UsageSay a hot pace or a hot lap.
Similarfast, speedy, quick, rapid
Oppositeslow, sluggish
Note
20
with great heatadverb
At a high temperature, in a way that feels very warm.
The fire burned hot all night long.
The coals glowed hot under the grill.
UsageSay a fire burns hot.
Note
21
apply heatverbcolloquialUKIrelandtransitive or intransitive
To make something hot, or to grow hot.
Like putting a kettle on the stove until it gets warm.
Can you hot up some milk for my cocoa?
I'll hot up last night's pizza for lunch.
Similarheat, warm
Oppositecool, chill
22
verbcolloquialUKIrelandintransitive
To become more lively, busy, or exciting, or to make something so.
Like a quiet room that gets loud and fun when more friends show up.
Things really hot up when the band arrives.
The game starts to hot up in the final minutes.
UsageSay things hot up.
Similarintensify, escalate
Oppositecool, subside
Note
23
radioactiveadjectivecolloquial
Radioactive, giving off dangerous radiation.
Like a stove that stays dangerous after you switch it off: you still can't touch it safely.
The salvage crew avoided the hot debris from the wrecked reactor.
Keep out of the hot zone, where radiation levels are high.
Similarradioactive
Oppositeclean
24
very shortadjectiveslang
Used before a small amount of time to show it is very short.
Like saying 'just a tiny moment' before you do something.
Wait a hot minute while I grab my coat.
It only took a hot second to fix the broken latch.
Similarquick
25
cooked mealnouncountable
A warm, cooked meal, often counted as 'three hots' for three meals a day.
The shelter gave each guest a bed and three hots a day.
He just wanted three hots a day and a roof over his head.
26
too fastadverb
Too fast, especially when going into a turn or coming down to land.
He took the corner too hot and nearly fell off his bike.
The plane came in hot and bounced on the runway.
UsageUsually with come in or go in: came in too hot.
Similarhard
Note
27
police presenceadjectiveslang
Watched closely by police, so it is risky to be there.
The corner is too hot tonight, with cops everywhere.
Let's wait. The streets are hot after the arrests.
UsageSay the area is hot or the block is hot.
Note
28
contains drugsadjectiveslang
Containing illegal drugs, said especially of a urine test that shows someone has taken them.
The dogs signaled that the suitcase was hot, packed with drugs.
His urine test came back hot, so he lost the job.
UsageOften come back hot or hot for a drug; in formal English, say tested positive.
Similardirty
Oppositeclean
Note
29
bad checkadjectiveslang
Written when there isn't enough money in the bank to pay it.
Like promising to pay with money you don't actually have.
He passed a hot check at the grocery store.
The clerk realized the check was hot and called the manager.
UsageSame as a bad check.
Similarbad, rubber
Note
30
adjective
Of sound going into a speaker or recorder, very loud and strong.
31
adverb
While shooting guns.

Practice

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Origin

From Old English hāt, meaning "hot," which came from older Germanic and Indo-European roots.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

English hot derives from Old English hāt. en.wiktionary.org
Old English hāt meant hot. en.wiktionary.org
The word has earlier Germanic and Indo-European roots. en.wiktionary.org