hotbed

noun

hot·​bed ˈhät-ˌbed How to pronounce hotbed (audio)
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

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
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.
But BDCs invest in dozens if not hundreds of small businesses: not exactly a hotbed of stability and reliability. Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025 Recruitment ‘hotbeds’ Over the past year, NPD has been invited to job fairs never before on its radar, Arres said. Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025 That’s why some hotels and resorts are canceling or reimagining the buffets that have been a hotbed of overproduction—with kitchens sending out far more food than vacationers can eat, creating lots of waste in the process. Jen Rose Smith, AFAR Media, 27 May 2025 Seminole County, a hotbed of bear encounters several years ago, has seen a dramatic decrease in conflicts with bears since implementing such non-lethal measures as the use of bear-proof trash cans. Grant Gelhardt, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for hotbed

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hotbed was in 1626

Cite this Entry

“Hotbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotbed. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

hotbed

noun
hot·​bed ˈhät-ˌbed How to pronounce hotbed (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on hotbed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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