hot potato
noun
: a controversial question or issue that involves unpleasant or dangerous consequences for anyone dealing with it
Examples of hot potato in a Sentence
He tried to avoid taking a strong stand on political hot potatoes like abortion.
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump and El Salvador play a game of hot potato
President Trump met with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele at the White House on Monday.
—
Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
Reality check: While the poll shows support for housing density, the issue remains a political hot potato in Nashville.
—Nate Rau, Axios, 7 Apr. 2025
Like a radioactive hot potato, a solution to America's growing stockpile of nuclear waste keeps getting passed around.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2025
But the subject is a hot potato in New Mexico for a few reasons.
—Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot potato
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.
Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
Reality check: While the poll shows support for housing density, the issue remains a political hot potato in Nashville.
—Nate Rau, Axios, 7 Apr. 2025
Like a radioactive hot potato, a solution to America's growing stockpile of nuclear waste keeps getting passed around.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2025
But the subject is a hot potato in New Mexico for a few reasons.
—Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot potato
Cite this Entry
“Hot potato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20potato. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share