swelter

1 of 2

verb

swel·​ter ˈswel-tər How to pronounce swelter (audio)
sweltered; sweltering ˈswel-t(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce swelter (audio)
Synonyms of swelternext

intransitive verb

1
: to suffer, sweat, or be faint from heat
2
: to become exceedingly hot
in summer, the place swelters

transitive verb

1
: to oppress with heat
2
archaic : exude
Sweltered venom …—William Shakespeare

swelter

2 of 2

noun

1
: a state of oppressive heat
2
: welter
3
: an excited or overwrought state of mind : sweat
in a swelter

Synonyms of swelter

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Noun

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Examples of swelter in a Sentence

Verb We were sweltering in the summer heat. Noun the set designer spent the entire week before opening night in a swelter
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Kim Won Jin / AFP via Getty Images Another article recalled Kim visiting a pickled seafood factory at the time amid soaring temperatures, portraying him inspecting sweltering fermentation rooms while stressing food quality and hygiene. — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026 Nine of the pooches were left outside in kennels in sweltering 98-degree temperatures. — Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
San Francisco will largely escape the swelter, with highs expected to hit 73 on Saturday and 77 on Sunday, with lows dipping into the upper 50s. — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 There might be a slight reprieve for a short few months in winter, but the norm is sweat and swelter. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for swelter

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sweltren, frequentative of swelten to die, be overcome by heat, from Old English sweltan to die; akin to Goth swiltan to die

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of swelter was in the 14th century

Rhymes for swelter

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Browse Nearby Words

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swelter
sweltering
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Cite this Entry

“Swelter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swelter. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

swelter

1 of 2 verb
swel·​ter ˈswel-tər How to pronounce swelter (audio)
sweltered; sweltering -t(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce swelter (audio)
1
: to suffer, sweat, or be faint from heat
2
: to overcome with heat

swelter

2 of 2 noun
: a state of great heat

More from Merriam-Webster on swelter

Nglish: Translation of swelter for Spanish Speakers

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