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
The sleek all-black upper, paired with black rubber pods on the outsole, embodies the sultry and timeless appeal of a black shoe versatile enough to be worn anywhere.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
More recently, at the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2024, the Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel singer lit up the stage in cascading blonde curls, dramatic copper-and-brown eyeshadow, and a sheer lip that was equal parts sultry and timeless.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 27 Mar. 2025
Wear it on a bare lid with a bit of mascara, or layer it with a smokey eye for a sultry nighttime vibe.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 26 Mar. 2025
The designer teased that there will be sultry, body-hugging looks with prickly prints and comfy, padded pieces.
—Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sultry
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Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
More recently, at the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2024, the Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel singer lit up the stage in cascading blonde curls, dramatic copper-and-brown eyeshadow, and a sheer lip that was equal parts sultry and timeless.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 27 Mar. 2025
Wear it on a bare lid with a bit of mascara, or layer it with a smokey eye for a sultry nighttime vibe.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 26 Mar. 2025
The designer teased that there will be sultry, body-hugging looks with prickly prints and comfy, padded pieces.
—Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 25 Mar. 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 Apr. 2025.
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