swelter

1 of 2

verb

swel·​ter ˈswel-tər 

sweltered; sweltering ˈswel-t(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to suffer, sweat, or be faint from heat

2

: to become exceedingly hot

in summer, the place swelters

transitive verb

1

: to oppress with heat

2

archaic : exude

Sweltered venom …

—William Shakespeare

swelter

2 of 2

noun

1

: a state of oppressive heat

2

: welter

3

: an excited or overwrought state of mind : sweat

in a swelter

Synonyms of swelter

Noun

• sweat
• panic
• huff
• fuss

Examples of swelter in a Sentence

Verb

We were sweltering in the summer heat.

Noun

the set designer spent the entire week before opening night in a swelter

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Caterer’s Corner Ice Bucket Even during football season, the temps can be sweltering in the South. — Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2026

During Iowa’s season opener, third-year Hawkeye Marching Band member Derek Phillips suffered cardiac arrest in sweltering heat and died three days later. — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Noun

The swelter of late summer in New York City is notoriously gross. — Sidney Madden, VIBE.com, 19 Aug. 2026

People could experience long durations of high temperatures with little to no overnight relief from the swelter. — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sweltren, frequentative of swelten to die, be overcome by heat, from Old English sweltan to die; akin to Goth swiltan to die

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for swelter

• belter
• melter
• shelter
• skelter
• smelter
• spelter
• welter

Kids Definition

swelter

1 of 2 verb

swel·​ter ˈswel-tər 

sweltered; sweltering -t(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to suffer, sweat, or be faint from heat

2

: to overcome with heat

swelter

2 of 2 noun

: a state of great heat