Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hot potato

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.07 in modern English

Syllables: hot pota-to
IPA

14

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

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.

Uncountable

noun

An unwanted problem that is awkward or delicate.

Countable

Example Sentences

"The “lame duck” Johnson Administration, in its final fortnight in office, grappled last week with a diplomatic hot potato in the form of the latest Soviet proposal for a “just and lasting” Middle East peace settlement."
"How do you handle the work of a woman out on leave, yet not lose a valuable employee down the road? At the same time, companies know this is a hot potato, and they have to do something."
"Full connectivity returned 72 hours later, but the issue has become a hot potato in the US."

Usage

Inflected Forms

hot potatoes (plural)

Phrases

drop like a hot potato hot-potato routing hottie potatie hot button third rail too hot to handle

Frequently Paired Words

hot button third rail too hot to handle

Synonyms

pass the parcel

Questions

What does hot potato mean?: 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.

How to pronounce hot potato

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “hot potato”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “hot potato”.
Repeat and practice — Say “hot potato” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.