pothole
noun
pot·hole ˈpät-ˌhōl 
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
adjective 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The pothole issue came to light this spring when the Seven Hills Service Department identified more than 40 sections of road -- roughly 6,000 square feet of pavement -- in need of repair. 
John Benson, cleveland, 10 Aug. 2022 Grant, 61, struck a pothole on July 27 while riding near a golf course with a friend, her representative Velvet Kelm confirmed to USA TODAY. Marcus K. Dowling, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2022 San Diego is paying out more than $300,000 to settle to two pothole injury lawsuits resulting from separate incidents that took place downtown in 2019. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2022 Others, he was told, have speculated that the driver was trying to avoid a pothole or even a deer. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 21 June 2022 As previously reported, the six-time Grammy winner hit a pothole while riding her bicycle with a friend. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 July 2022 The small pothole had been circled by cattails and mallards would pour into it at last light. Steve Meyer, Anchorage Daily News, 29 May 2022 To put that into perspective, only 1 percent of pothole reports in 2022 have surpassed their due dates. Ryan Serpico, San Antonio Express-News, 11 July 2022 Our gas bill is high, and also, Indianapolis has a big pothole problem. Charlotte Cowles, New York Times, 11 July 2022 See More
John Benson, cleveland, 10 Aug. 2022 Grant, 61, struck a pothole on July 27 while riding near a golf course with a friend, her representative Velvet Kelm confirmed to USA TODAY. Marcus K. Dowling, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2022 San Diego is paying out more than $300,000 to settle to two pothole injury lawsuits resulting from separate incidents that took place downtown in 2019. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2022 Others, he was told, have speculated that the driver was trying to avoid a pothole or even a deer. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 21 June 2022 As previously reported, the six-time Grammy winner hit a pothole while riding her bicycle with a friend. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 July 2022 The small pothole had been circled by cattails and mallards would pour into it at last light. Steve Meyer, Anchorage Daily News, 29 May 2022 To put that into perspective, only 1 percent of pothole reports in 2022 have surpassed their due dates. Ryan Serpico, San Antonio Express-News, 11 July 2022 Our gas bill is high, and also, Indianapolis has a big pothole problem. Charlotte Cowles, New York Times, 11 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
pothole
noun
pot·hole ˈpät-ˌhōl
: a deep round hole (as in a road)
pothole
noun
as in basin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- basin
- canyon
- ravine
- floodplain
- crevasse
- gulch
- kettle
- saddle
- gorge
- chasm
- fissure
- crevice
- abyss
- gap
- col
- flume
- cleft
- valley
- couloir
- pass
- notch
- linn
- defile
- gulf
- gully
- gill
- kloof
- cirque
- hollow
- trench
- glen
- gulley
- dale
- gutter
- cwm
- arroyo
- coulee
- vale
- dell
- barranca
- wadi
- combe
- coombe
- wash
- trough
- nullah
- barranco
- coomb
- shut-in
- draw
