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 bra 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.
—Hannah Malach, WWD, 12 Mar. 2025
The character actor broke big with his supporting turn on I May Destroy You as bestie Kwame, and he’s had his fair share of sultry roles in Gangs of London and The Lazarus Project.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
The actress rocked a selection of underwear and bras in a sultry photo shoot — both indoors and out — shot by Mert Alas and styled by Emmanuelle Alt.
Jeremy Allen White made his debut with Calvin Klein in January 2024, breaking the internet with a series of sizzling images captured by Alas.
—Catherine Santino, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025
On the three-track body of work, audiophiles hear angelic tunes, staticky sounds, tinkering and swirling synths, playful basslines, powerful and sultry singing, computer-sounding beats, shimmering soundscapes, acid basslines, liquid drum’n’bass and groove-inducing production.
—Lisa Kocay, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sultry
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Hannah Malach, WWD, 12 Mar. 2025
The character actor broke big with his supporting turn on I May Destroy You as bestie Kwame, and he’s had his fair share of sultry roles in Gangs of London and The Lazarus Project.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
The actress rocked a selection of underwear and bras in a sultry photo shoot — both indoors and out — shot by Mert Alas and styled by Emmanuelle Alt.
Jeremy Allen White made his debut with Calvin Klein in January 2024, breaking the internet with a series of sizzling images captured by Alas.
—Catherine Santino, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025
On the three-track body of work, audiophiles hear angelic tunes, staticky sounds, tinkering and swirling synths, playful basslines, powerful and sultry singing, computer-sounding beats, shimmering soundscapes, acid basslines, liquid drum’n’bass and groove-inducing production.
—Lisa Kocay, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sultry
Articles Related to sultry
Cite this Entry
“Sultry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sultry. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
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