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
Examples of pothole in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The incident killed six construction workers who were on the bridge fixing potholes.
—
Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 12 May 2024
Can any amount of money make those meetings about potholes, permits, policy and public pay worth it?
—Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 11 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for pothole 
Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 12 May 2024
Can any amount of money make those meetings about potholes, permits, policy and public pay worth it?
—Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 11 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for pothole
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pothole.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pothole
Cite this Entry
“Pothole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pothole. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pothole
noun
pot·hole
ˈpät-ˌhōl 
: a deep round hole (as in a road)
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