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
Smoky, sultry, and surprising, deep mauves and mocha browns have come to the forefront lately, with both Hailey Bieber and Gigi Hadid signing off on the trend.
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
In addition to his couture line, the designer parlayed his volumes, fabric developments and embellishments into more readily reproducible ready-to-wear variations on his daywear tailoring and sultry evening looks.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 8 Apr. 2025
Scott’s debut single introduced the world to her signature blend of poetic storytelling and sultry vocals.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 4 Apr. 2025
For the event, Berry went sultry in an all-black ensemble that allowed her lingerie to be the star of the show.
—Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sultry
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Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
In addition to his couture line, the designer parlayed his volumes, fabric developments and embellishments into more readily reproducible ready-to-wear variations on his daywear tailoring and sultry evening looks.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 8 Apr. 2025
Scott’s debut single introduced the world to her signature blend of poetic storytelling and sultry vocals.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 4 Apr. 2025
For the event, Berry went sultry in an all-black ensemble that allowed her lingerie to be the star of the show.
—Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 3 Apr. 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 14 Apr. 2025.
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