a hot potato
/ə hɒt pəˈteɪtəʊ/A subject or problem that is difficult, controversial, or risky to deal with.
The CEO avoided the question because it was a hot potato.
The CEO dodged the question because it was a risky, controversial issue.
Often used in politics, business, and media to describe topics people prefer to ignore.
Collocations
Related Phrases
💡Pro Tip
Avoid literal confusion
Make sure the context makes it clear you are speaking figuratively; otherwise listeners may picture an actual hot potato.
⚡Gold Rule
Figurative only
Never use "hot potato" when you mean a literal potato that is hot; the idiom always conveys a difficult or controversial issue.
📖Word Origin
First recorded in early 20th‑century American slang; likens a literal hot potato, which is hard to hold, to a problem that is hard to deal with.
📝Usage Notes
Use when referring to a matter that people avoid because it may cause trouble or disagreement.