sweltering

adjective

swel·​ter·​ing ˈswel-t(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce sweltering (audio)
Synonyms of swelteringnext
: oppressively hot
swelteringly adverb

Examples of sweltering in a Sentence

the air conditioning was broken, and it was sweltering in the office
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.
From the sidelines of a sweltering domed field in the Detroit suburbs, Zee Esho keeps his eye on the season opener of the local Iraqi Chaldean soccer league. Jasmine Garsd, NPR, 16 June 2026 The people who believe this, who drive for hours to watch fights on a giant TV in a sweltering public park, aren’t stupid. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2026 After England completed its session in sweltering heat, Forester and his friends sat there and had several members of the English National Team sign the Declaration of Independence. Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 15 June 2026 When Iranian officials convened in Tehran to discuss the nation’s water crisis this month, President Masoud Pezeshkian asked them to remove their blazers to cope with the sweltering heat instead of switching on the air conditioning. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sweltering

Word History

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sweltering was in 1566

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sweltering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweltering. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

sweltering

adjective
swel·​ter·​ing
: very hot
swelteringly adverb

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