A Hot Potato – Meaning and Examples
Have you ever seen a topic that everyone avoids—like politics at dinner, a workplace scandal, or a tricky family decision? Maybe your team keeps passing the problem to someone else because it’s too sensitive or risky. In English, we call that a hot potato! This vivid idiom describes an issue that’s so controversial, difficult, or uncomfortable that people don’t want to deal with it.
What Does “A Hot Potato” Mean?
“A hot potato” means a problem, topic, or situation that is highly sensitive, controversial, or risky—so much so that people avoid handling it. Think of holding a real hot potato: it burns your hands, so you want to drop it or pass it to someone else quickly! The phrase isn’t about food; it’s a strong, visual way to say, “This is too hot to touch.”
When to Use It
Use this phrase in casual or neutral conversations with friends, coworkers, or classmates when talking about divisive topics like politics, ethics, layoffs, or public scandals. It’s common in news, workplace chats, or social discussions where people are reluctant to take a stand. This idiom is informal but widely understood—great for everyday use, not formal reports.
Example Sentences
- Climate policy has become a hot potato in this election.
- No one wants to manage the budget cuts—it’s a hot potato.
- Religion and money are hot potatoes at family gatherings.
- The CEO handed the complaint to HR—it was too much of a hot potato for her to handle alone.
Mini Dialogue
Alex: “Why won’t anyone talk about the pay gap in our department?”
Jamie: “Because it’s a hot potato. Everyone’s afraid to say the wrong thing.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t use this phrase for ordinary problems or simple tasks. It only applies to issues that are truly sensitive, controversial, or politically risky—not just inconvenient.
❌ Don’t say: “My printer jammed—it’s a hot potato!” (That’s a minor tech issue.)
✅ Do say: “Immigration reform is a hot potato in Congress right now.”
Practice Tip
Next time you hear about a topic people keep avoiding—like office gossip or a local controversy—say: “That’s a hot potato.” It’s a sharp, natural way to name the tension in English.
Final Note
Now you can use “a hot potato” to describe those tricky, touchy issues that everyone wants to avoid! It’s a bold, image-rich phrase that adds clarity to complex conversations. Keep using it—and remember, sometimes the hottest topics need the coolest heads to handle them.
