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

In August, Rome is deserted as locals ditch the sweltering city for the sea, but everyone returns in the fall, refreshed and energized for the season ahead. — Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026 That’s a lot of sweltering days, considering that the annual average is only about 37 days reaching 95 degrees or hotter. — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026 This week, Miami hit 100 degrees for the first time since the 1800s, the latest in a slew of records broken this sweltering summer. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026 Others without roof access would sit and sometimes sleep on their firescapes to escape their sweltering hot boxes. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 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

Apparent human skeletal remains, including a jaw with the teeth still attached, were found at Lake Mead on Sunday, officials said, as water levels sink to new lows amid a drought and scorching heat in the West.

— Mark Osborne, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Stir and scrape the pan bottom frequently to prevent scorching.

— Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of scorching

Adjective

Even with no rate increase, though, Tulsa electric bills would be spiking this year because of searing summer heat, with more than twice the average number of triple-digit days.

— Scott Horsley, NPR, 26 Aug. 2026
Clock hands circle predictably and calendar pages turn on schedule, but internally, within our bodies, minds and hearts, time is a whole different thing — discontinuous, wondrous, searing.

— Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of searing

Verb

The system builds complex metal structures by melting steel wire with electric arcs.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
Sunflower and jojoba seed oils do much of the makeup-melting work while replenishing skin with emollient moisture, and a supporting cast of ceramides, panthenol, hyaluronic acid, cica, and fig helps hydrate, soothe, and support the moisture barrier.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of melting

Adjective

As seen above, even a hot pink top welcomes a playful edge to a classic plaid midi-skirt and chunky boots.

— India Roby, Glamour, 27 Aug. 2026
In May, officials in Kern County alone also reported a 42% loss in cherry production this year due to a hot stretch in March followed by April rain accounting for a total loss of more than $13 million for growers.

— Jonathan Destler, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of hot

Verb

Dozens of young people, including a twenty-one-year-old professional footballer, drowned while seeking relief in open water; three French children died in broiling cars.

— Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
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

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

There’s messy play, yoga, and cooking for the little ones, go-karting, football, and water sports for the older ones.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
To prevent an infection, the CDC recommends washing your hands and any fresh produce under running water before eating, preparing or cooking it.

— Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of cooking

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sweltered

sweltering

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“Sweltering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweltering. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of sweltering

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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