sultry

adjective

ˈsəl-trē How to pronounce sultry (audio)
Definition of sultrynext
1
as in humid
containing or characterized by an uncomfortable amount of moisture on really sultry days we go to the mall to hang out and cool off

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in searing
having a notably high temperature the incredibly dry, sultry desert air

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sultry Think outfits that cleverly combine the sultry relaxation of resortwear with the maximalist slinkiness of cocktail attire. — Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 13 July 2026 Or that Penélope Cruz’s sultry chilliness would jibe with either her male counterparts or Wilde’s diary-of-a-mad-housewife interpretation of a brittle, eager-to-impress woman brimming with creative frustration. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2026 After a sultry stretch, weather conditions in parts of the Midwest and East are about to get more refreshing for the final week of the astronomical spring season. — Ben Noll, Washington Post, 15 June 2026 The Amalfi Coast is famously sultry, comprising 13 villages that are sprinkled along a rugged shore. — Natalie Hammond, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sultry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sultry
  1. humid
  2. searing
  3. damp
  4. boiling
  5. hot
  6. burning
  7. molten
Adjective
  • The heat will be accompanied by very humid air across the entire county, including at local beaches, where temperatures will reach the mid-80s.
    — Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The break will be short-lived, as hotter and more humid weather is expected this weekend and will continue into early next week.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of humid
Adjective
  • Even with no rate increase, though, Tulsa electric bills would be spiking this year because of searing summer heat, with more than twice the average number of triple-digit days.
    — Scott Horsley, NPR, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Clock hands circle predictably and calendar pages turn on schedule, but internally, within our bodies, minds and hearts, time is a whole different thing — discontinuous, wondrous, searing.
    — Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of searing
Adjective
  • Cover with a damp kitchen towel or loose-fitting lid and let stand at room temperature 24 hours.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Like hostas, ferns can also be used to cover up yellowing bulb foliage, but most grow best in damp soil and lightly shaded spots.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of damp
Adjective
  • More humane methods of killing lobsters pre-boiling include a sharp knife through the head, electrical stunning, or freezing.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
  • Agrawal and her team studied ionic liquids — salts that are liquid at sub-boiling temperatures (below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius) — as a potential hospitable environment for life.
    — Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Definition of boiling
Adjective
  • As seen above, even a hot pink top welcomes a playful edge to a classic plaid midi-skirt and chunky boots.
    — India Roby, Glamour, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In May, officials in Kern County alone also reported a 42% loss in cherry production this year due to a hot stretch in March followed by April rain accounting for a total loss of more than $13 million for growers.
    — Jonathan Destler, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hot
Adjective
  • Prosecutors said some of the money was used for recruiting new members and purchasing Ku Klux Klan robes and materials for cross-burning ceremonies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
  • In the case of the cross-burning incident, there is no comparison to the Jussie Smollett case.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
Definition of burning
Adjective
  • These eruptions are cryovolcanic rather than conventional molten-rock eruptions.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
  • That electric arc generates enough heat to melt metal at a joint between two metal parts, which allows the two parts to be combined once the molten metal has solidified again.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of molten

Browse Nearby Words

sultriness
sultry
sum
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Cite this Entry

“Sultry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sultry. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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