1
: a bed of soil enclosed in glass, heated especially by fermenting manure, and used for forcing or for raising seedlings
2
: an environment that favors rapid growth or development
a hotbed of activity
Synonyms
Examples of hotbed in a Sentence
a hotbed of political unrest
prerevolutionary Boston was viewed as a hotbed of treason by the British
Recent Examples on the Web
Normally, Davos is a hotbed of planners and self-congratulatory humanitarians who dream up utopian schemes that then can be imposed from the top down by governments.
—
John Fund, National Review, 4 Feb. 2025
However, the event can also become a hotbed of controversy and scrutiny.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Harvard University will provide additional protections for Jewish students under a settlement announced on Tuesday that resolves two lawsuits accusing the Ivy League school of becoming a hotbed of rampant antisemitism.
—Jonathan Stempel, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025
Fairhope is a hotbed of Alabama and Auburn fans, but many in the town of 25,000 will be pulling for Notre Dame on Monday night.
—Grace Raynor, The Athletic, 18 Jan. 2025
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John Fund, National Review, 4 Feb. 2025
However, the event can also become a hotbed of controversy and scrutiny.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Harvard University will provide additional protections for Jewish students under a settlement announced on Tuesday that resolves two lawsuits accusing the Ivy League school of becoming a hotbed of rampant antisemitism.
—Jonathan Stempel, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025
Fairhope is a hotbed of Alabama and Auburn fans, but many in the town of 25,000 will be pulling for Notre Dame on Monday night.
—Grace Raynor, The Athletic, 18 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hotbed
Dictionary Entries Near hotbed
Cite this Entry
“Hotbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotbed. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hotbed
noun
hot·bed
ˈhät-ˌbed 
1
: a heated bed of soil enclosed in glass and used for growing seedlings
2
: an environment that favors rapid growth or development
a hotbed of innovation
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