# heat wave

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/heat-wave
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A period of exceptionally hot weather.

## Examples

- We had a heat wave last July.
- The city opened cooling centers after a heat wave pushed temperatures above 40 degrees.
- Farmers watched helplessly as the relentless heat wave scorched their crops and dried the rivers to cracked mud.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.