hotly

adverb

hot·​ly ˈhät-lē How to pronounce hotly (audio)
: in a hot manner
a hotly contested series

Examples of hotly in a Sentence

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.
The tush push ban and the playoff seeding change have not reached a final verdict, with both being hotly debated. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025 But whether pheromones play any role in humans getting hot-and-heavy remains hotly debated. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025 Republicans and Democrats are both likely to make strong plays for the seat — hotly contested in recent years. Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2025 China's coast guard homed in on and sought to obstruct a Philippine government mission near a hotly contested reef on Monday, an analyst said, citing ship tracking data. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hotly

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hotly was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Hotly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotly. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

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