SWELTERING Synonyms: 114 Similar and Opposite Words

sweltering 1 of 2

adjective

ˈswel-t(ə-)riŋ

Definition of sweltering

as in boiling

having a notably high temperature the air conditioning was broken, and it was sweltering in the office

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sweltering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of swelter

as in scorching

Related Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of sweltering

Adjective

Residents are currently suffering from intense heat and a lack of air conditioning, with many sleeping outside near the water to escape the sweltering temperatures, The Associated Press (AP) reported. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 The Lomon Wide-leg Pants, made of 80 percent cotton and 20 percent linen, are the perfect option for sweltering days. — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 1 Aug. 2026 The heat is sweltering, your fans are running and your air conditioner is cooling constantly. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 31 July 2026 Concerns were growing about illness, including from the sweltering heat. — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sweltering

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweltering

Adjective

More humane methods of killing lobsters pre-boiling include a sharp knife through the head, electrical stunning, or freezing.

— semafor.com, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Agrawal and her team studied ionic liquids — salts that are liquid at sub-boiling temperatures (below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius) — as a potential hospitable environment for life.

— Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025

Definition of boiling

Verb

The scorching Afrofuturist dystopian nightmare that told of decades of oppression to come (and of centuries past mired in it), was lost to time.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 30 July 2026
Cook gently over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching the bottom of the pot.

— Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2026

Definition of scorching

Adjective

Arguably the highest-profile contract cancellation for Flock came when the Los Angeles Police Department decided to non-renew its years-long contract with the company, a decision motivated by a searing internal audit of the company’s technology.

— Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 6 Aug. 2026
The searing new memoir, ‘The Wound Is Where the Light Enters,’ details Young’s journey from a mandatory life sentence to freedom through self-education and an extraordinary legal fight.

— Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of searing

Verb

Her aunt gave her a warm piece with margarine melting at the center.

— Rachel Yoder, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026
The Springfield Sliders became the Lucky Horseshoes in 2022, swapping out their Abraham Lincoln logo for a horseshoe swinging a french fry bat, complete with a drip of melting cheese.

— Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of melting

Adjective

Hundreds of firefighters are working long shifts to slow the Spokane Complex Fire ahead of hotter and drier conditions this weekend.

— Morgan Chesky, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2026
Those works appear particularly timely, as parts of Europe continue to bear the brunt of one of its hottest summers on record, forcing some museums and monuments to partially or entirely close.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of hot

Verb

For more than a year, an uncontrolled fire had burned in the bowels of the dump, broiling old garbage and sending nauseating fumes into nearby homes.

— Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
Those who turn to methods like broiling and roasting when cooking will be prone to more buildup in their oven, Murphy explains, due to the way heat breaks down oil and fat.

— Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 2 July 2026

Definition of broiling

Adjective

Prosecutors said some of the money was used for recruiting new members and purchasing Ku Klux Klan robes and materials for cross-burning ceremonies.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
In the case of the cross-burning incident, there is no comparison to the Jussie Smollett case.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026

Definition of burning

Verb

In the meantime, health officials recommend washing and cooking fresh vegetables to cut your risk of a gut-busting infection.

— Pien Huang, NPR, 2 Aug. 2026
Add the fresh corn, okra, and diced tomatoes, cooking until the tomatoes break down into a sauce that coats the tender vegetables.

— Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of cooking

Browse Nearby Words

sweltered

sweltering

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“Sweltering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweltering. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of sweltering

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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