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.
On a sweltering October afternoon in the Singita Grumeti Reserve, a 350,000-acre conservation parcel in northwestern Tanzania, adjacent to the Serengeti National Park, Mwarancha is leading me and a small group of advanced cyclists on a challenging 31-mile ride. Tom Vanderbilt, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Mar. 2026 For example, during a sweltering hot weekend at a sports tournament, my Yeti hard cooler kept water and sports drinks cold the entire weekend with just a single filling of ice. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026 Tekton defines it as the most thermally efficient canopy on the market, providing an interior made to remain cooler on sweltering summer days and warmer on frigid winter days than thermally conductive aluminum units. New Atlas, 4 Mar. 2026 In the summer months, the journey was a sweltering one, with dozens of sticky, sweaty passengers crammed together in the heat. Shoshi Parks, Popular Science, 4 Mar. 2026 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 14 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

sweltering

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

More from Merriam-Webster on sweltering

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