as in sweat
a state of nervous or irritated concern
the set designer spent the entire week before opening night in a swelter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to melt
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swelter
E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Its living room rapidly reached the swelter and volume of a blacksmith’s forge operating as a front for an unlicensed tavern.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Deanna Romano, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Jan. 2026
People hired by the contractors wear extensive protective equipment in the sweltering humidity and must have their blood tested regularly for dioxin.
—Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swelter
Noun
On the couch, in the summer swelter, their sticky bodies are inches apart, even as their souls drift.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Its living room rapidly reached the swelter and volume of a blacksmith’s forge operating as a front for an unlicensed tavern.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
Avoid summer, which brings sweltering heat with little shade and peak accommodation prices, or winter, as many guesthouses close in December and January.
—Deanna Romano, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Jan. 2026
People hired by the contractors wear extensive protective equipment in the sweltering humidity and must have their blood tested regularly for dioxin.
—Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swelter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swelter
Noun
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Instead, that lap turned into eleven more years of touring, sweat, new music, and reconnecting with the fans who made this all possible in the first place.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
7 May 2026
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For shoppers who want the calming effect of deep pressure stimulation but tend to overheat, these three options are designed to deliver the pressure without the sweat.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
There are also suggestions that sea ice may be melting because of warmth trapped just below the surface of the ocean, Scambos said.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
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However, a new generation of semiconductor lasers that use photonic crystals are bright enough to melt steel and require simpler optics to transmit data.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
Noun
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During their first night together, just for an instant, Nikki appears to glitch, jerking back mid-kiss and looking at him with blind panic instead of undying affection.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
In other playoff action yesterday, the Thunder are verging on a back-to-back sweep of their own as the Lakers hit panic mode.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Yet even a disappointing ruling at the high court doesn’t mean the MAHA movement is defeated or should completely go scorched earth on the administration.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Apr. 2026
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The Blazers could not hold on after building a 65-59 halftime lead, an edge built by shooting a scorching 10-of-21 from 3-point range.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Among agonized grunts and huffs, Probst narrated the fumbles.—
Sarah Grant,
New Yorker,
2 Feb. 2026
-
David walks out of the kitchen and Moira huffs and takes his spot over the pot.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This season, for instance, has the chefs cooking on a racetrack.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
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Perfect for cooking on the grill, this flavorful dish will be the star of the meal.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
In the 1980s, many people didn't understand what the fuss was about, longtime broadcast journalist Joie Chen recalls.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
6 May 2026
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Since then, thousands have flocked to theaters nationwide to see the award-winning performer and find out what all the fuss is about.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Instead of roasting, the dehydrating preserves natural flavor and delivers Daily Crunch's signature Uniquely Crunchy bite.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Starbucks ended its fiscal 2025 with 14,000 employees working outside its cafes — ranging from corporate support to roasting and logistics roles.—
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swelter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swelter. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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