1. a place or situation that encourages the rapid development or growth of something, especially something undesirable
2. a bed of earth heated by fermenting manure and used for raising seedlings
Usage: gardening

Examples

• The overcrowded prison became a hotbed of violence and unrest.
• Silicon Valley is considered a hotbed of technological innovation.
• The university campus was a hotbed of political activism in the 1960s.
• That neighborhood has become a hotbed of crime in recent years.
• The gardener prepared a hotbed to start tomato seedlings early in the season.
• Social media can be a hotbed of misinformation during election periods.