pothole

noun

pot·​hole ˈpät-ˌhōl How to pronounce pothole (audio)
Synonyms of potholenext
1
a
: a circular hole formed in the rocky bed of a river by the grinding action of stones or gravel whirled round by the water
b
: a sizable rounded often water-filled depression in land
2
: a pot-shaped hole in a road surface
3
: a usually minor difficulty or setback
hit a pothole in her comeback attempt
potholed
ˈpät-ˌhōld How to pronounce pothole (audio)
adjective

Examples of pothole 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.
The sceney Quadrado is a 20-minute cab ride away, or longer on rainy days, when potholes and heavy traffic can slow cars down to a halt. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Early use cases for individualized agents have included filing forms to have a pothole filled or messy telephone wires cleaned up, though these human response systems aren’t built to handle a massive uptick in requests. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Filling a pothole matters to the person who drives over it every day, but repeatedly filling the same hole without addressing the underlying street condition is not an effective use of taxpayer dollars. — Vince Fattore, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 Combined with larger pneumatic tires and dedicated suspension systems, mid-range dual-motor scooters smooth out potholes and cracked pavement for a far more comfortable ride. — New Atlas, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pothole

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pothole was in 1826

Rhymes for pothole

See All Rhymes for pothole

Browse Nearby Words

pot holder
pothole
potholer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pothole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pothole. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

pothole

noun
pot·​hole ˈpät-ˌhōl How to pronounce pothole (audio)
: a deep round hole (as in a road)

More from Merriam-Webster on pothole

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for pothole

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pothole

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All