1
: a bed of soil enclosed in glass, heated especially by fermenting manure, and used for forcing or for raising seedlings
2
: an environment that favors rapid growth or development
a hotbed of activity
Examples of hotbed in a Sentence
a hotbed of political unrest
prerevolutionary Boston was viewed as a hotbed of treason by the British
Recent Examples on the Web
The city is a hotbed of culture, ripe for exploration by art, music, and fashion lovers.
—
AFAR Media, 16 May 2025
Now, it’s grown into a hotbed of unprecedented cordyceps activity.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 11 May 2025
Since Congress adopted the pandemic relief program run by the SBA, South Florida has been a hotbed of PPP loan fraud.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025
For the White House, Harvard presents a major hurdle in its effort to force change at universities that Republicans claim have become hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hotbed
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.
AFAR Media, 16 May 2025
Now, it’s grown into a hotbed of unprecedented cordyceps activity.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 11 May 2025
Since Congress adopted the pandemic relief program run by the SBA, South Florida has been a hotbed of PPP loan fraud.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025
For the White House, Harvard presents a major hurdle in its effort to force change at universities that Republicans claim have become hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hotbed
Cite this Entry
“Hotbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotbed. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hotbed
noun
hot·bed
ˈhät-ˌbed 
1
: a heated bed of soil enclosed in glass and used for growing seedlings
2
: an environment that favors rapid growth or development
a hotbed of innovation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share