Phrase guide

hot potato

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A child's game in which players pass a ball or other item between them, with the object of avoiding being left holding the item when time expires.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pass the parcel

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An unwanted problem that is awkward or delicate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a difficult situation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he dropped the topic like a hot potato

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: situation

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 擊鼓傳花 /击鼓传花 (jīgǔchuánhuā) — child's game
  • Finnish: kuuma peruna — child's game
  • French: patate chaude — child's game
  • Italian: patata calda — child's game
  • Russian: карто́шка (kartóška) — child's game
  • Spanish: patata caliente — child's game
  • Chinese Mandarin: 燙手山芋 /烫手山芋 (tàngshǒushānyù) — awkward or delicate problem
  • Dutch: heet hangijzer — awkward or delicate problem
  • Finnish: kuuma peruna — awkward or delicate problem
  • French: patate chaude — awkward or delicate problem
  • German: heißes Eisen — awkward or delicate problem
  • Hebrew: תַּפּוּחַ אֲדָמָה לוֹהֵט (tapúaẖ adamá lohét) — awkward or delicate problem
  • Italian: patata bollente — awkward or delicate problem
  • Korean: 뜨거운 감자 (tteugeoun gamja) — awkward or delicate problem
  • Norwegian Bokmål: varm potet — awkward or delicate problem
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: varm potet — awkward or delicate problem
  • Polish: delikatna sprawa — awkward or delicate problem
  • Spanish: patata caliente — awkward or delicate problem