hotbox

noun

hot·​box ˈhät-ˌbäks How to pronounce hotbox (audio)
: a journal bearing (as of a railroad car) overheated by friction

Examples of hotbox in a Sentence

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.
Despite having such a thick cushion, these insoles don't create a hotbox in your shoes. — Shannon Ullman, Verywell Health, 10 Oct. 2024 Priced at $27, the floral and spicy aroma references cannabis’ incredible array of terpenes, without being skunky or smelling like a smoky hotbox. — Emily Earlenbaugh, Forbes.com, 6 Feb. 2026 The Transportation Department has been urging railroads to take proactive steps in the wake of the derailment, including examining their use of hotbox detectors. — Ian Duncan, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Mar. 2023 This bill would mandate hotbox detectors every ten miles, imposing a one-size-fits-all, arbitrary government mandate on technology that has already been adopted successfully by railroads on their own. — The Editors, National Review, 21 Mar. 2023 For a punishing hotbox of a bed hemmed in by paved areas or masonry walls that absorb summer sun, consider drought-tolerant perennials and shrubs such as Russian sage, little bluestem grass, showy goldenrod or juniper. — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2025 The bipartisan Senate measure would strengthen rail car and railway detector inspection requirements, such as mandating that a hotbox detector scan trains carrying hazardous materials every 10 miles. — Stephanie Lai, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Mar. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hotbox was in 1848

Rhymes for hotbox

See All Rhymes for hotbox

Browse Nearby Words

hot-blooded
hotbox
hot-brain
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Cite this Entry

“Hotbox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotbox. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hotbox

noun
hot·​box -ˌbäks How to pronounce hotbox (audio)
: a bearing (as of a railroad car) overheated by friction
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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