hot button

noun

: an emotional and usually controversial issue or concern that triggers immediate intense reaction
hot-button adjective

Examples of hot button in a Sentence

The film is considered very controversial for all the hot buttons it pushes.
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.
Sea level rise — mostly due to glacial melt largely caused by anthropogenic climate change — has been a hot button topic for the past half century. Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 Known for biting jokes that dance around hot button topics including sexism and feminism — but also weed, animals, and The Real Housewives — Treyger recently wrapped filming on Season 2 of Survival of the Thickest, Netflix’s comedy series based on Michelle Buteau’s bestseller of the same name. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 10 Dec. 2024 Artificial intelligence protections became a hot button issue during the summer-long actors and writers’ strikes in 2023. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2024 Xinjiang supplies more than 80 percent of China’s cotton, but has been a hot button issue for years. Evan Clark, WWD, 5 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hot button 

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hot button was in 1966

Dictionary Entries Near hot button

Cite this Entry

“Hot button.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20button. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on hot button

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!