the heat

noun

: pressure to do something
The administration is putting the heat on legislators to approve the tax bill.
She's at her best when the heat is on with tight deadlines.
The company has turned up the heat on its employees to finish the job quickly.

Note: The expression if you can't stand/take the heat, get out of the kitchen means that you should not try to do a difficult job if you cannot deal with the pressure and problems that are part of the job.

Examples of the heat in a Sentence

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Even if you hand-water with a hose, watering in the morning not only provides the plant with water in time for the heat of the day, but also allows the maximum amount of time for the leaves to dry before the cool evening temperatures arrive. Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025 The Space Force's missile-warning satellites are also in geosynchronous orbit, with infrared sensors tuned to detect the heat plume of a missile launch. Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025 The move seeks to turn up the heat on Moscow to end the war in Ukraine, but risks further destabilizing global trade relations. Chloe Taylor,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025 However, during the heat of summer, based on my experience, if Marathon was not watered every day, wilt or even dieback could result. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for the heat

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Cite this Entry

“The heat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20heat. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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