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
After having a major moment in 2023, the peekaboo bralette trend dominated red carpets last year, with stars including Selena Gomez, Sydney Sweeney and Elizabeth Debicki modeling the sultry fad at high-profile events like the GLAAD Awards and the Academy Museum Gala.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 28 May 2025
Artwork: Rotating selection of local art Location: Pauline Tea-Bar Apothecary, 2326 Arty Ave., Charlotte
As sultry jazz plays on a speaker, customers at the Pauline Tea-Bar chat quietly, work on laptops or trace designs through the large table-top zen garden.
—Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2025
Wearing an all-black ensemble topped with a Balenciaga jacket, Bieber traded verses with SZA, kissed her hand multiple times, and danced with her throughout the sultry performance.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 24 May 2025
There is a cigar room, inviting lounge areas, and the sultry Forneau private bar, clad in floor-to-ceiling red and an impressive art collection.
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sultry
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Julia Teti, Footwear News, 28 May 2025
Artwork: Rotating selection of local art Location: Pauline Tea-Bar Apothecary, 2326 Arty Ave., Charlotte
As sultry jazz plays on a speaker, customers at the Pauline Tea-Bar chat quietly, work on laptops or trace designs through the large table-top zen garden.
—Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2025
Wearing an all-black ensemble topped with a Balenciaga jacket, Bieber traded verses with SZA, kissed her hand multiple times, and danced with her throughout the sultry performance.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 24 May 2025
There is a cigar room, inviting lounge areas, and the sultry Forneau private bar, clad in floor-to-ceiling red and an impressive art collection.
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 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 5 Jun. 2025.
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