sultrier; sultriest
1
a
: very hot and humid : sweltering
a sultry day
b
: burning hot : torrid
a sultry sun
2
a
: hot with passion or anger
b
: exciting or capable of exciting strong sexual desire
sultry glances
Examples of sultry in a Sentence
In the one Manet Stephen owned, Young Woman Reclining in Spanish Costume (1862–1863), the plump young model provokes us with her sultry gaze, her awkward semi-recumbent position, her casually defiant cross-dressing in a male torero's shiny trousers, and the come-hither implication of her highlighted hands …
—
John Updike, New York Review of Books, 5 Oct. 2006
As the fireflies entertain humans all summer long with a magical light show, they are actually cruising the sultry nights in search of love. "Male fireflies fly around flashing their advertisement," says evolutionary ecologist Sara Lewis of Tufts, one of the authors of the study, which appeared in the journal Science recently.
—Betsy Mason, Orlando Sentinel, 22 July 2001
In an age when the gangsta rapper is king and pubescent boy and girl groups rule the charts with a tough … version of adolescent bubble-gum pop, Toni Braxton is an anomaly. Her sultry good looks, rich, husky contralto and ability to deliver a line with such mature conviction make her seem older, more experienced than her 26 years.
—Gordon Chambers, Essence, April 1994
She looked at him with a sultry glance.
an actress with a sultry voice
John Updike, New York Review of Books, 5 Oct. 2006
As the fireflies entertain humans all summer long with a magical light show, they are actually cruising the sultry nights in search of love. "Male fireflies fly around flashing their advertisement," says evolutionary ecologist Sara Lewis of Tufts, one of the authors of the study, which appeared in the journal Science recently.
—Betsy Mason, Orlando Sentinel, 22 July 2001
In an age when the gangsta rapper is king and pubescent boy and girl groups rule the charts with a tough … version of adolescent bubble-gum pop, Toni Braxton is an anomaly. Her sultry good looks, rich, husky contralto and ability to deliver a line with such mature conviction make her seem older, more experienced than her 26 years.
—Gordon Chambers, Essence, April 1994
She looked at him with a sultry glance.
an actress with a sultry voice
Recent Examples on the Web
Inspired by Victoria and David Beckham’s trip to Italy in the early days of dating, the sultry scent melds notes of sea breeze, incense, amber, and vetiver with patchouli and musk.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 28 June 2025
On a recent sultry Wednesday evening, subscription customers trickled into Fern’s Farmette to pick up their flower bouquets.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2025
In New York City, subway platforms were transformed into saunas as temperatures in some areas soared to record levels for June, accompanied by sultry levels of humidity.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 25 June 2025
But please keep in mind that in many parts of the country, June has a reputation for being a sultry, hazy and humid month.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sultry
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Jenny Berg, Vogue, 28 June 2025
On a recent sultry Wednesday evening, subscription customers trickled into Fern’s Farmette to pick up their flower bouquets.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2025
In New York City, subway platforms were transformed into saunas as temperatures in some areas soared to record levels for June, accompanied by sultry levels of humidity.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 25 June 2025
But please keep in mind that in many parts of the country, June has a reputation for being a sultry, hazy and humid month.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sultry
Cite this Entry
“Sultry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sultry. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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