sultrier; sultriest
1
a
: very hot and humid : sweltering
a sultry day
b
: burning hot : torrid
a sultry sun
2
a
: hot with passion or anger
b
: exciting or capable of exciting strong sexual desire
sultry glances
Examples of sultry in a Sentence
In the one Manet Stephen owned, Young Woman Reclining in Spanish Costume (1862–1863), the plump young model provokes us with her sultry gaze, her awkward semi-recumbent position, her casually defiant cross-dressing in a male torero's shiny trousers, and the come-hither implication of her highlighted hands …
—
John Updike, New York Review of Books, 5 Oct. 2006
As the fireflies entertain humans all summer long with a magical light show, they are actually cruising the sultry nights in search of love. "Male fireflies fly around flashing their advertisement," says evolutionary ecologist Sara Lewis of Tufts, one of the authors of the study, which appeared in the journal Science recently.
—Betsy Mason, Orlando Sentinel, 22 July 2001
In an age when the gangsta rapper is king and pubescent boy and girl groups rule the charts with a tough … version of adolescent bubble-gum pop, Toni Braxton is an anomaly. Her sultry good looks, rich, husky contralto and ability to deliver a line with such mature conviction make her seem older, more experienced than her 26 years.
—Gordon Chambers, Essence, April 1994
She looked at him with a sultry glance.
an actress with a sultry voice
John Updike, New York Review of Books, 5 Oct. 2006
As the fireflies entertain humans all summer long with a magical light show, they are actually cruising the sultry nights in search of love. "Male fireflies fly around flashing their advertisement," says evolutionary ecologist Sara Lewis of Tufts, one of the authors of the study, which appeared in the journal Science recently.
—Betsy Mason, Orlando Sentinel, 22 July 2001
In an age when the gangsta rapper is king and pubescent boy and girl groups rule the charts with a tough … version of adolescent bubble-gum pop, Toni Braxton is an anomaly. Her sultry good looks, rich, husky contralto and ability to deliver a line with such mature conviction make her seem older, more experienced than her 26 years.
—Gordon Chambers, Essence, April 1994
She looked at him with a sultry glance.
an actress with a sultry voice
Recent Examples on the Web
Sunday Best Firebird Dress $98 $69 Take on night life in style during your next vacation with this sultry off-the-shoulder number from Aritzia.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2024
Lovato looked stunning in KIKO Milano makeup including a sultry eye and glossy lip.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024
The makeup featured a sultry feline cat eye paired with Jennifer’s signature glow.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 6 May 2024
Emma Chamberlain Emma Chamberlain went for the sultry villain vibe and nailed it.
—Annie Blay, Allure, 6 May 2024
Made for that cool down part of the night, the track brings together a hypnotic vocal sample, a sultry melody, spare, crisp percussion and a restrained, mature build and release.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Billie Eilish, Jack Antonoff, and Jon Batiste join Lana Del Rey
The sultry balladeer arrived to her set standing on the back of a motorcycle.
—Moises Mendez Ii, TIME, 15 Apr. 2024
The raw crustaceans, smashed flat using a tortilla press, are marinated in a neon-magenta mixture of rhubarb and hibiscus, with sultry, herby notes of shiso and Japanese cherry blossoms.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2024
With space for just 25 people, the bar is low-key in an ultra-glamorous, speakeasy kind of way — the exclusivity echoes in deep, sultry blues and sophisticated auburn.
—Stacey Wreathall, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024
Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2024
Lovato looked stunning in KIKO Milano makeup including a sultry eye and glossy lip.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024
The makeup featured a sultry feline cat eye paired with Jennifer’s signature glow.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 6 May 2024
Emma Chamberlain Emma Chamberlain went for the sultry villain vibe and nailed it.
—Annie Blay, Allure, 6 May 2024
Made for that cool down part of the night, the track brings together a hypnotic vocal sample, a sultry melody, spare, crisp percussion and a restrained, mature build and release.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Billie Eilish, Jack Antonoff, and Jon Batiste join Lana Del Rey
The sultry balladeer arrived to her set standing on the back of a motorcycle.
—Moises Mendez Ii, TIME, 15 Apr. 2024
The raw crustaceans, smashed flat using a tortilla press, are marinated in a neon-magenta mixture of rhubarb and hibiscus, with sultry, herby notes of shiso and Japanese cherry blossoms.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2024
With space for just 25 people, the bar is low-key in an ultra-glamorous, speakeasy kind of way — the exclusivity echoes in deep, sultry blues and sophisticated auburn.
—Stacey Wreathall, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sultry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Sultry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sultry. Accessed 17 May. 2024.
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