as in boiling
having a notably high temperature
the air conditioning was broken, and it was sweltering in the office
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Recent Examples of sweltering
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
In 2018, a judge ordered that a Texas prison’s sweltering conditions amounted to cruel and unusual punishment.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sweltering
Adjective
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
In 2018, a judge ordered that a Texas prison’s sweltering conditions amounted to cruel and unusual punishment.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sweltering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweltering
Adjective
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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
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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
Verb
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When Liverpool and Arsenal last met, in late August, a scorching late Dominik Szoboszlai free kick saw the reigning champions strike an ominous early blow in the title race, jumping three points ahead of their London rivals.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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As scorching sunshine gives way to dusk, enthusiastic attendees transition from waiting in clusters to jumping in anticipation of the pop-rock superstar’s appearance.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
27 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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In addition to telling the stories of several veterans, the film also examines how the Greatest Generation’s searing experiences of World War II, the Holocaust and the battle against fascism in Europe shaped American culture from the late 1940s to the present day.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
15 Jan. 2026
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Stone’s pass from the left corner of the zone toward the middle of the blue line found Marner, who skated into a vast expanse to deliver a searing wrister from the inner part of the right circle.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Salt dries into white rings, while melting snow can cause uneven water stains that stiffen leather, dull suede, and discolor fabric.—
Katie Cloyd,
Martha Stewart,
6 Jan. 2026
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The mountain snowpack functions as nature’s water bank, gradually melting to feed rivers and reservoirs through the dry months.—
Chaewon Chung
Updated January 6,
Sacbee.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Set up your own cafe with deals on this convenient one-cup coffee maker and best-selling milk frother, plus keep your coffee hot all day with this mug warmer.—
Paige Bennett,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Jan. 2026
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Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall play government agents investigating some mysterious deaths of some very hot people, with Isabella Rossellini and Anthony Ramos also starring.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This matching set of baking dishes includes a large size that's great for making desserts and casseroles, roasting vegetables, marinating meats, broiling fish, and more, and a smaller one for breading and prep work.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
5 Jan. 2026
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To cook oysters out of their shells, the CDC recommends boiling them for at least three minutes, frying them in oil for at least three minutes, broiling for three minutes or baking for 10 minutes.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
24 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
13 Aug. 2025
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Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries that falter under heat, thermal batteries use molten salts as electrolytes, which become ionically conductive only when heated.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
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And having rolled your eyes in ecstasy at the solid then—abruptly—molten Modica chocolate pudding, edge into the cigar lounge or nurse a Tasca D’Almerita red on a terrace wrapped in cashmere and flickering lanterns.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sweltering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweltering. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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