What Does "Hot Potato" Mean?
"Hot potato" is an English idiom. It means "a problematic or controversial issue that is difficult to deal with or pass on to others."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "hot potato" used in a sentence:- The issue of tax reform became a political hot potato, with no easy solution in sight.
- Handling the budget deficit has become a hot potato for the government.
- The controversial proposal became a hot potato in the board meeting.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Hot Potato" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
A Quick Test
You now know what "hot potato" means, but are you good at English idioms? Let's see!
- This test has questions.
- A correct answer is worth 5 points.
- You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
- Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
- Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
- 🏆 If you beat one of the top 10 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Scoring System
Cyber Guru (+)
Cyber Hero (+)
Cyber Captain (+)
Cyber Sergeant (+)
Cyber Recruit (+)
Cyber Guru (+)
Cyber Hero (+)
Cyber Captain (+)
Cyber Sergeant (+)
Cyber Recruit (+)
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?
