hotshot
noun
hot·shot
ˈhät-ˌshät 
plural hotshots
1
: a talented or successful person who often has a showy or flashy manner
There are, of course, people here who believe that most Washington hotshots, journalistic as well as governmental, are fatly overpaid already …—
Meg Greenfield
Meg Greenfield… some young hotshots are leaving mutual funds … to set up hedge funds at a rate of more than one a day.—Mitchell Pacelle
—often used before another nounMitchell Pacellea hotshot actor
These days, the only teasing that Leinart gets is from friends who tell him that he doesn't take advantage of being a hotshot college quarterback.—Phil Taylor
Phil Taylor2
: a person trained to fight forest fires especially in remote areas
As a hotshot, his job was to rappel from helicopters into wildfires across the country.—Anton L. Delgado and Dustin Patar
—often used before another nounAnton L. Delgado and Dustin Patar[Firefighter Zachary] Resnick said his hotshot crew used to get a break fighting wildfires from late November to late spring. Now, they're on duty nearly year-round.—Lilia Luciano
Lilia Luciano3
: a fast freight train
First is a hotshot, LADAF, an automobile and trailer train from Los Angeles to Dallas ("F" stands for Forwarder). Its route through Texas is roundabout, so LADAF has to really move, and move it does …—Fred W. Frailey
Fred W. FraileyExamples of hotshot in a Sentence
The company has hired a couple of young hotshots to revamp its advertising campaign.
That guy thinks he's a real hotshot.
Recent Examples on the Web
Nestor is a man trying to maintain his dignity while at the mercy of everyone around him, his frustrations rising to the surface at the slightest provocation from his back-talking kids or his younger brother (Valentin Mexico), a hotshot with a Trans Am.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025
Minnesota Timberwolves hotshot Anthony Edwards has called Durant his favorite player of all time.
—Doug Haller, The Athletic, 11 Feb. 2025
Her membership in the Brat Pack, the loose association of young Hollywood hotshots of the mid '80s including Emilio Estevez and Rob Lowe, led to her ruling the box office throughout the early to mid-1990s in films like Ghost, Indecent Proposal, and Striptease.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 11 Feb. 2025
Might not count only because the quirky hotshot was helping lawyers do law stuff, not solving crimes.
—Brian Grubb, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hotshot
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.
Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025
Minnesota Timberwolves hotshot Anthony Edwards has called Durant his favorite player of all time.
—Doug Haller, The Athletic, 11 Feb. 2025
Her membership in the Brat Pack, the loose association of young Hollywood hotshots of the mid '80s including Emilio Estevez and Rob Lowe, led to her ruling the box office throughout the early to mid-1990s in films like Ghost, Indecent Proposal, and Striptease.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 11 Feb. 2025
Might not count only because the quirky hotshot was helping lawyers do law stuff, not solving crimes.
—Brian Grubb, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hotshot
Cite this Entry
“Hotshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotshot. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hotshot
noun
hot·shot
ˈhät-ˌshät
: a showily skillful person
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share