hotshot

noun

hot·​shot ˈhät-ˌshät How to pronounce hotshot (audio)
plural hotshots
1
: a talented or successful person who often has a showy or flashy manner
There are, of course, people here who believe that most Washington hotshots, journalistic as well as governmental, are fatly overpaid already …Meg Greenfield
… some young hotshots are leaving mutual funds … to set up hedge funds at a rate of more than one a day.Mitchell Pacelle
often used before another noun
a hotshot actor
These days, the only teasing that Leinart gets is from friends who tell him that he doesn't take advantage of being a hotshot college quarterback.Phil Taylor
2
: a person trained to fight forest fires especially in remote areas
As a hotshot, his job was to rappel from helicopters into wildfires across the country.Anton L. Delgado and Dustin Patar
often used before another noun
[Firefighter Zachary] Resnick said his hotshot crew used to get a break fighting wildfires from late November to late spring. Now, they're on duty nearly year-round.Lilia Luciano
3
: a fast freight train
First is a hotshot, LADAF, an automobile and trailer train from Los Angeles to Dallas ("F" stands for Forwarder). Its route through Texas is roundabout, so LADAF has to really move, and move it does …Fred W. Frailey

Examples of hotshot in a Sentence

The company has hired a couple of young hotshots to revamp its advertising campaign. That guy thinks he's a real hotshot.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Does your dad identify with the hotshot rookie, River, or the senior spy, Jackson Lamb (Oldman)? Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2024 More than $265,000 has been raised so far for the firefighters injured when their truck overturned on an Orange County toll road last week, with contributions from Southern California hotshot crews, firefighter and police unions and others. Mona Darwish, Orange County Register, 24 Sep. 2024 California Containment, hotshots, evacuation orders: Understanding key wildfire terms Sept. 12, 2024 Dry brush and vegetation have also helped fuel erratic fire behavior, with flames quickly spreading and at times changing direction. Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2024 Two engines, a hotshot crew and a helicopter were sent to battle the blaze, but due to the rugged terrain, ground teams have been unable to access the fire. Karen Bartunek, The Arizona Republic, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hotshot 

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of hotshot was in 1922

Dictionary Entries Near hotshot

Cite this Entry

“Hotshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotshot. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hotshot

noun
hot·​shot ˈhät-ˌshät How to pronounce hotshot (audio)
: a showily skillful person

More from Merriam-Webster on hotshot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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