sweltering

adjective

swel·​ter·​ing ˈswel-t(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce sweltering (audio)
: 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.
Written by William Oldroyd (Eileen, Lady Macbeth), Dee Johnson (Fellow Travelers, The Good Wife) and Bill Dubuque, the psychological thriller is set in the sweltering heat of Atlanta, where Anna (Thompson) lives in haunting reclusivity, fading away from her friends and career as a news anchor. Denise Petski, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025 Temperatures are beginning to lower, and outdoor time can finally be enjoyed again after the sweltering summer heat has abated. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025 Set in a sweltering New York summer charged with tension and desire, the story begins when Wyeth meets Keating, a former seminarian whose intellect and intensity ignite a complicated friendship. Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025 On a sweltering morning in Vidalia, Louisiana, Shannan Cornwell and Freddie Green got in a long line to wait for food. ProPublica, 3 Oct. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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