In hot water means you're in trouble: you did something wrong, and now you'll be criticised or punished. He's in hot water with his boss means his boss is very unhappy with him. With get and land, it describes how you end up there: that joke landed her in hot water. It's informal, but you'll see it in the news too: the company is in hot water over the leak.
When would you say in hot water?
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be / get in hot water; land someone in hot water; in hot water with someone over something
- He got in hot water with the librarian after returning a book with missing pages.
- Posting the unfinished poster landed the organiser in hot water.
- The team was in hot water over its failure to clean the hall.
What changed
First versionShe was in a hot water with the coach for missing practice.
RevisionShe was in hot water with the coach for missing practice.
A hot drink, a hot bath: hot so often follows a that a hot water feels natural. But water is uncountable here, and the idiom has no article: in hot water. Removing a makes it correct. With shows who is unhappy with you: in hot water with the coach.
In trouble is the neutral phrase for any kind of problem. In hot water is specifically when you've done something wrong and someone is going to tell you off: He's in hot water for missing the meeting. Out of your depth is different: you lack skills, but nobody is angry with you.
Your turn
The missing equipment landed him ___.
Show the answer
in hot water — The idiom is in hot water, with no article, because water is uncountable here. In in a hot water, the a is extra.
Write about a time when you or someone you know got into trouble for breaking a small rule.
The volunteer got in hot water for leaving the storage room unlocked overnight.
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