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.
Thornton was told by a Madison Equities manager that a contractor had been assigned the task of fixing the unit and hopefully relieving his office of sweltering heat. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 5 Dec. 2025 On a sweltering August afternoon in 1918, on the fourth floor of a hat factory on east 93rd Street in Manhattan, a young Russian immigrant named Hyman Rosansky tossed anti-war flyers out the window to the street below. Richard Stengel, Time, 24 Nov. 2025 Myrtle Beach delivers average January highs of 57 degrees and February highs of 61 degrees — ideal for outdoor exploration without the sweltering summer heat. Lisa A. Beach, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025 The main hall, essentially a very long gray tent, was filled with the sounds of power tools and hadn’t yet been air-conditioned, giving it the feeling of a sweltering urban jungle. Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 13 Nov. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Sweltering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweltering. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

sweltering

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

More from Merriam-Webster on sweltering

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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