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
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
In her sultry June 2021 British Vogue cover shoot, Eilish showed off the dragon tattoo on her hip for the first time.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Shop More Pumps: The Sleek Strappy Sandal with a Chic Day Clutch
For elegant evenings out this spring, slip into this pair of sultry, strappy sandals from Neous.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 4 Apr. 2024
Over a beat that blends classic boom-bap with hazy, droning synths and sultry keys reminiscent of the G-funk heyday, Snoop delivers a characteristically cool verse that name-checks a bunch of his fellow Golden State hip-hop pioneers.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2024
Nicki also performed a set of six songs in a new semi-acoustic, lo-fi format with the singer backed by a keyboard, drums and guitar, highlighting vocals that have become sultrier and broader ranging.
—Leila Cobo, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2024
Actor and martial artist Richard Norton plays the story’s seedy antagonist Victor Cross, while Ellen Hollman kicks butt as the sultry Beau Hampton.
—Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024
As someone who is prone to be seen in sultry pumps, a flawless makeup look and a head-turning outfit, she’s been leaning more so into cozy pieces recently.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 18 Mar. 2024
Bodine Born in Amsterdam and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Bodine Koehler Peña is a former model turned musician who combines sultry vocals with equally sensual beats.
—Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024
Stacey Wreathall, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024
In her sultry June 2021 British Vogue cover shoot, Eilish showed off the dragon tattoo on her hip for the first time.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Shop More Pumps: The Sleek Strappy Sandal with a Chic Day Clutch
For elegant evenings out this spring, slip into this pair of sultry, strappy sandals from Neous.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 4 Apr. 2024
Over a beat that blends classic boom-bap with hazy, droning synths and sultry keys reminiscent of the G-funk heyday, Snoop delivers a characteristically cool verse that name-checks a bunch of his fellow Golden State hip-hop pioneers.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2024
Nicki also performed a set of six songs in a new semi-acoustic, lo-fi format with the singer backed by a keyboard, drums and guitar, highlighting vocals that have become sultrier and broader ranging.
—Leila Cobo, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2024
Actor and martial artist Richard Norton plays the story’s seedy antagonist Victor Cross, while Ellen Hollman kicks butt as the sultry Beau Hampton.
—Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024
As someone who is prone to be seen in sultry pumps, a flawless makeup look and a head-turning outfit, she’s been leaning more so into cozy pieces recently.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 18 Mar. 2024
Bodine Born in Amsterdam and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Bodine Koehler Peña is a former model turned musician who combines sultry vocals with equally sensual beats.
—Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 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.
Word History
Etymology
obsolete English sulter to swelter, alteration of English swelter
First Known Use
1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Articles Related to sultry
Dictionary Entries Near sultry
Cite this Entry
“Sultry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sultry. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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