hot button
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.46 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A central issue, concern or characteristic, especially one that motivates people to make a choice; sometimes also one that people seek to delay taking sides on.
adj
Example Sentences
- "That issue was mostly solved in the modern forces, but it was still a hot button for every student of modern military history."
- "Jack Lacey^([sic]), a top rating salesman, says that sales are made by touching off a “hot button” within the prospect’s mind.’"
- "So one way of producing conviction is to “find the hot button”— something the other person is currently interested in—and show him how your idea can help him get that."
- "Therefore, when a prospect is considering buying something, his main concern is what's in it for him. And he always has a dominant desire. There is something he is trying to do which is important to him. We call this dominant desire his “Hot Button.” Once you have found the Hot Button of your prospect, you build your presentation around it."
- "Because when you recognize your main hot button, you can take the necessary steps to diffuse anger and reestablish connectedness in a healthy relationship."
- "“The sooner he gets rid of those children, the better it will be. He is too busy to be encumbered with orphans,” Delleah said. That struck Melissa's hot button. “"
Etymology
Inflected Forms
hot buttons (plural)
hot-button (alternative)
hotbutton (alternative)
more hot button (comparative)
most hot button (superlative)
Phrases
hot potato
not touch something with a ten-foot pole