as in contentious
relating to or causing the expression of opposing opinions
the new plan raises a number of hot-button issues that are sure to get voters riled up
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in third rail
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hot-button
Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 14 Feb. 2025
With Republicans currently controlling both houses of Congress by thin margins, significant legislative could certainly follow, but could still prove difficult on some hot button issues.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
Why Disney’s Bob Iger is trying to avoid hot buttons
Walt Disney Co. and Chief Executive Bob Iger have made a sharp pivot since doubling-down on diversity and inclusion efforts in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis 4½ years ago.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
The high court, which tries to dispense of pending cases by the end of June, has an unusually large number of decisions pending, particularly on hot button issues.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 20 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for hot-button
Noun
Created by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in 1978, the ice cream brand has long been known for speaking out on hot button issues, key among them climate change.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 14 Feb. 2025
With Republicans currently controlling both houses of Congress by thin margins, significant legislative could certainly follow, but could still prove difficult on some hot button issues.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
Why Disney’s Bob Iger is trying to avoid hot buttons
Walt Disney Co. and Chief Executive Bob Iger have made a sharp pivot since doubling-down on diversity and inclusion efforts in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis 4½ years ago.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
The high court, which tries to dispense of pending cases by the end of June, has an unusually large number of decisions pending, particularly on hot button issues.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 20 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for hot-button
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hot-button
Adjective
-
These comments seemed to further his feud with the agency following a contentious 2018 Tesla settlement over Musk's tweets that resulted in the Supreme Court declining to hear Musk's arguments against his tweets being monitored by the SEC.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
31 Mar. 2025
-
And with that, Bob Dylan continued to play electric, despite the contentious crowd.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Goalie interference is the third rail of the NHL, the most gray area the league has to judge — just look at the end of the second period, when Anders Lee’s goal was upheld on a Columbus challenge after some jostling with Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins.—
Arthur Staple,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
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There are billions of dollars in potential savings from MA changes, but the program is a political third rail given the influence of insurers and the perils of igniting attacks about cutting Medicare.—
Peter Sullivan,
Axios,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Trump administration cuts public health jobs, funding HHS, led by controversial Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., plans to go from about 82,000 to 62,000 full-time employees, the department said in a statement last week.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2025
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And if anything, the absence of the controversial Le Pen family name is a plus for the rest of the French electorate.—
Cole Stangler,
Time,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hot-button.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hot-button. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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