hot button

noun

: an emotional and usually controversial issue or concern that triggers immediate intense reaction
hot-button adjective

Examples of hot button in a Sentence

The film is considered very controversial for all the hot buttons it pushes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Xinjiang supplies more than 80 percent of China’s cotton, but has been a hot button issue for years. Evan Clark, WWD, 5 Dec. 2024 With just a week left until an election where the topic of protecting women's sports has become a hot button issue, Gabbard gave attendees a reminder of Harris' record in enabling transgender inclusion. Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 29 Oct. 2024 None of this really should be surprising, because inflation, employment, and business cycles will always be hot button political issues. Norbert Michel, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 Hitting hot button issues with fresh insight and hysterical precision, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele revealed themselves to be two of the best comedy writers in the business, leading to a Peabody Award, two Emmy Awards, and millions of fans. Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hot button 

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hot button was in 1966

Dictionary Entries Near hot button

Cite this Entry

“Hot button.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20button. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on hot button

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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