hot seat: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2informal, figurative
Quick answer
What does “hot seat” mean?
A position of extreme stress, pressure, or responsibility, especially where one is subject to public scrutiny or criticism.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A position of extreme stress, pressure, or responsibility, especially where one is subject to public scrutiny or criticism.
A situation of intense interrogation or questioning; the literal electric chair used for execution; any uncomfortable or demanding position requiring difficult decisions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use the term identically. Slightly more common in US media/political discourse.
Connotations
US: Strong association with corporate accountability and political hearings. UK: Slightly more association with media interviews and public scrutiny.
Frequency
Medium frequency in both varieties. Common in news, business, and political contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “hot seat” in a Sentence
[Subject] is in the hot seat.[Agent] put [Recipient] in the hot seat.[Recipient] found themselves in the hot seat.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hot seat” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The minister is really in the hot seat over the spending scandal.
- It's a tough job, but someone has to take the hot seat.
American English
- The CEO faced the hot seat during the congressional hearing.
- After the product failed, the lead engineer was in the hot seat.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The CEO will be in the hot seat at the shareholders' meeting to explain the quarterly losses.
Academic
The professor was put in the hot seat during the thesis defense, facing rigorous questioning.
Everyday
My mum put me in the hot seat about where I'd been all night.
Technical
Rarely used in technical contexts except metaphorically in management science.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hot seat”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hot seat”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hot seat”
- Using 'on the hot seat' (incorrect preposition; use 'in').
- Omitting the definite article 'the'.
- Using it for literal heated car seats.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's informal and figurative. In formal writing, use phrases like 'under scrutiny' or 'subject to intense questioning'.
Yes, that is its original, literal meaning, but the figurative meaning is far more common today.
Almost always 'in the hot seat'. 'On the hot seat' is a common error.
Yes, it's a fixed, hyphenated compound noun when used attributively (e.g., a hot-seat interview), but often open when predicative (in the hot seat).
A position of extreme stress, pressure, or responsibility, especially where one is subject to public scrutiny or criticism.
Hot seat: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhɒt ˈsiːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhɑːt ˈsiːt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “take the hot seat”
- “grilled in the hot seat”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a chair that is physically hot to sit on — you'd be very uncomfortable and eager to get up. That's the 'hot seat' of pressure.
Conceptual Metaphor
PRESSURE/SCRUTINY IS HEAT; AN UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION IS AN UNCOMFORTABLE SEAT.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'in the hot seat' primarily imply?