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
This week, Olivia Rodrigo falls head over heels in a dreamy synth-pop track, Tom Waits returns to music with a brooding, political Massive Attack collaboration, and Tyla and Zara Larsson team up for a sultry pop girl jam.
—Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
The song certainly sounds Bond-esque, with a sultry introduction that opens up into dramatic horns and strings, complete with a snippet of the classic Bond theme at the end of the chorus.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Coffee selections shift with the seasons, as in a frothy, summery shakerato that pulls sweetness from agave rather than sugar, or a sultry banana bread latte.
—Chris Malloy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
In an attempt to earn money and develop a following, Cassie has embraced a puppy persona and has her maid take videos and photos of her dressed in sultry dog costumes for her social media.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sultry
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Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
The song certainly sounds Bond-esque, with a sultry introduction that opens up into dramatic horns and strings, complete with a snippet of the classic Bond theme at the end of the chorus.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Coffee selections shift with the seasons, as in a frothy, summery shakerato that pulls sweetness from agave rather than sugar, or a sultry banana bread latte.
—Chris Malloy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
In an attempt to earn money and develop a following, Cassie has embraced a puppy persona and has her maid take videos and photos of her dressed in sultry dog costumes for her social media.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sultry
Cite this Entry
“Sultry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sultry. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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