Definition of in hot water in US English:

phrase

• In a situation of difficulty, trouble, or disgrace.

  ‘he is in hot water for insensitive remarks he made’

  More example sentences

  • ‘He is already in hot water with party chiefs and under investigation for his ‘wolves’ remarks.’
  • ‘I just hope that I never become famous, or get into a position of power, because this sort of ranting could land a person in hot water.’
  • ‘The council also warned homeowners they could be in hot water if builders' rubble on their property is not taken away by a licensed waste carrier.’
  • ‘Time after time, Jess gets into hot water with her folks and ends up trying to hide the fact she joined a local all-girls football team.’
  • ‘Remember that hoo-ha last year when two apparently naked dancers landed the Phoenix Dance Company in hot water?’
  • ‘He's landed in hot water for a T-shirt logo he dreamt up himself, involving a misspelt Irish four-letter word.’
  • ‘A drunken festive night out landed a man in hot water after he mistook a police officer on duty for a saucy strip-o-gram.’
  • ‘A decision to instruct a contractor to hack trees in an amenity area has landed Glusburn Parish Council in hot water.’
  • ‘That particular stance landed me in very hot water, very quickly.’
  • ‘The leading Bedford nightclub, the Mission, is in hot water again - after it was fined for having an illegal sign.’

  Synonyms

  in difficulty, in difficulties, having problems, in a mess, in a bad way, in a predicament, in desperate straits, in dire straits, heading for disaster, heading for the rocks, with one's back against the wall

  be severely reprimanded, be upbraided, be scolded, get a scolding, be admonished, be castigated, be rebuked, be chastised, be censured, be criticized severely, be taken to task, get into trouble, be hauled over the coals

  View synonyms